Latest news with #IanFang
AsiaOne
a day ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
'We will sue him until he goes bankrupt': Victim's mother plans to sue ex-actor Ian Fang, Entertainment News
In the case of former artist Ian Fang sexually assaulting a girl, the victim's mother bluntly said that the sentence given to Fang was too light. The 35-year-old fomer MediaCorp artist was sentenced to 40 months' jail after he pleaded guilty to having sex with the girl before she turned 16. He had sex with the teen on nine occasions between June and July 2024, mostly unprotected. She eventually contracted human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted disease. Chinese-language media outlet 8world spoke exclusively with the victim's mother, who agreed to a five-hour interview under the condition of anonymity. She expressed strong dissatisfaction with the court's verdict and urged the authorities to review the case, calling for a harsher sentence, including caning, to prevent Fang from harming other women in the future. Fang was charged under Section 376A(2)(b) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years' imprisonment or a fine, or both — but does not include caning. Fang was not caned as the victim was 15 at the time of the offences. The verdict might have been different if she had been below 14, as he would have been charged for rape. Under Section 375 of the Penal Code, those convicted of rape could be jailed for between eight and 20 years, and receive at least 12 strokes of the cane. Fang, the mother alleged, used his celebrity status and position of trust to take advantage of her. "The age gap between them was significant, and Fang used his celebrity status to manipulate her into bed," she said. "The first time, he brought wine to the hotel to visit my daughter while she was unwell, raped her and afterwards told her not to tell us — warning that he could go to jail if anyone found out. He knew exactly what he was doing was wrong," she added. "He had an ulterior motive every time they met. If that's not exploitation, then what is?" she questioned. "I just can't accept it. He manipulated and coerced my child," she said. She was equally firm in her view of the sentence: "I'm very, very dissatisfied. He should have been caned. At least then there would be a lasting mark - something to remind him, and others, of what he did. Now, there's nothing. No consequence that stops him from doing this again." The mother also questioned why a gag order had initially been imposed on Fang's identity. She believed revealing his name could have encouraged other potential victims to step forward. "There might be more victims out there," she said. She accused Fang of ruining her daughter's life and infecting her with a sexually transmitted disease. "I'm going to sue him until he goes bankrupt," she declared. "Her first time should have been with someone who truly loved her — not someone like him. He's a predator. A wolf in sheep's clothing," she said. She has since hired a lawyer to begin civil proceedings: "Yes, civil suits are about compensation. But this isn't about the money. I want to sue him until he's bankrupt." If any damages are awarded, she added, the entire sum would be donated to charity: "We don't want a cent of his money." [[nid:718288]] This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.
New Paper
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Paper
'We will sue him until he goes bankrupt': Victim's mother plans to sue ex-actor Ian Fang
In the case of former artist Ian Fang sexually assaulting a girl, the victim's mother bluntly said that the sentence given to Fang was too light. The 35-year-old fomer MediaCorp artist was sentenced to 40 months' jail after he pleaded guilty to having sex with the girl before she turned 16. He had sex with the teen on nine occasions between June and July 2024, mostly unprotected. She eventually contracted human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted disease. Chinese-language media outlet 8world spoke exclusively with the victim's mother, who agreed to a five-hour interview under the condition of anonymity. She expressed strong dissatisfaction with the court's verdict and urged the authorities to review the case, calling for a harsher sentence, including caning, to prevent Fang from harming other women in the future. Fang was charged under Section 376A(2)(b) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years' imprisonment or a fine, or both - but does not include caning. Fang was not caned as the victim was 15 at the time of the offences. The verdict might have been different if she had been below 14, as he would have been charged for rape. Under Section 375 of the Penal Code, those convicted of rape could be jailed for between eight and 20 years, and receive at least 12 strokes of the cane. Fang, the mother alleged, used his celebrity status and position of trust to take advantage of her. "The age gap between them was significant, and Fang used his celebrity status to manipulate her into bed," she said. "The first time, he brought wine to the hotel to visit my daughter while she was unwell, raped her and afterwards told her not to tell us - warning that he could go to jail if anyone found out. He knew exactly what he was doing was wrong," she added. "He had an ulterior motive every time they met. If that's not exploitation, then what is?" she questioned. "I just can't accept it. He manipulated and coerced my child," she said. She was equally firm in her view of the sentence: "I'm very, very dissatisfied. He should have been caned. At least then there would be a lasting mark - something to remind him, and others, of what he did. Now, there's nothing. No consequence that stops him from doing this again." The mother also questioned why a gag order had initially been imposed on Fang's identity. She believed revealing his name could have encouraged other potential victims to step forward. "There might be more victims out there," she said. She accused Fang of ruining her daughter's life and infecting her with a sexually transmitted disease. "I'm going to sue him until he goes bankrupt," she declared. "Her first time should have been with someone who truly loved her - not someone like him. He's a predator. A wolf in sheep's clothing," she said. She has since hired a lawyer to begin civil proceedings: "Yes, civil suits are about compensation. But this isn't about the money. I want to sue him until he's bankrupt." If any damages are awarded, she added, the entire sum would be donated to charity: "We don't want a cent of his money."
Online Citizen
23-05-2025
- Online Citizen
Six men to be charged in separate child sexual exploitation cases in Singapore
SINGAPORE: ix men will be charged in court on 23 May 2025 for alleged involvement in various child sexual exploitation offences. The men, aged between 22 and 41, were arrested in separate incidents, according to a police statement issued on 22 May. The suspects were apprehended by officers from the specialised crime branch of the Criminal Investigation Department. Their alleged offences include engaging minors for sex and possessing child sexual abuse material. One of the accused, aged 37, is alleged to have engaged a young female victim for sex after befriending her online. He reportedly performed sexual acts on the girl and was arrested on 25 March 2025. He faces one count of commercial sex with a minor under 18 and another count for communicating with a minor under 18 for the purpose of obtaining sexual services. In another case, a 25-year-old man was arrested on 5 July 2024 for allegedly engaging a young girl for commercial sex. He had also made contact with the minor through online means. He is expected to be charged with eight counts of sexual penetration of a minor under 16. A separate incident involved a 22-year-old man arrested on 5 March 2024. He allegedly possessed child sexual abuse material and obscene films found on his mobile phone and computer. He will face one count each for possession of child abuse material and possession of obscene films. Additionally, three men aged 30, 35 and 41 were arrested on 14 March 2023, 18 March 2024, and 22 March 2023 respectively. All three allegedly possessed child sexual abuse material stored on mobile phones, storage devices and computers. Each will be charged with one count of possession of child abuse material. In the statement, the police stressed their zero-tolerance stance on such crimes, stating: 'The police take a serious view of child sexual exploitation and abuse and will spare no effort to protect children from such harm.' Under Singapore law, individuals convicted of having sex with minors aged 14 to 16 may be jailed for up to 10 years, and may also be fined or caned. Engaging the sexual services of a person below 18 can result in up to seven years' imprisonment, a fine, or both. Possessing or accessing child abuse material carries a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment, and may also include a fine or caning. Possession of obscene films is punishable with up to six months' imprisonment, a fine of up to S$20,000, or both. Separately, on 19 May, Ian Fang, a 35-year-old former Mediacorp actor educated in Singapore, was sentenced to 40 months' imprisonment after pleading guilty to sexual offences involving a minor under the age of 16. The Shanghai-born permanent resident (PR) committed the offences in 2024 while employed as an acting instructor at a child modelling school catering to students aged four to 14. He met the victim earlier that year at an entertainment event. A gag order remains in place to protect the identity of the victim. On 21 May, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) stated that it is reviewing Fang's PR status following his conviction for serious sexual offences.
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Straits Times
ICA reviewing PR status of convicted sex offenders Ian Fang from China and Lev Panfilov from Russia
ICA reviewing PR status of convicted sex offenders Ian Fang from China and Lev Panfilov from Russia Teo Yan Ting TNP May 22, 2025 The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) is reviewing the permanent resident status of former actors Ian Fang and Lev Panfilov, reported Channel NewsAsia. Singapore PRs who have been convicted of offences will have their PR status reviewed, the ICA said on May 21. In 2021, ICA revoked Mr Chong Tet Choe's PR status after he was convicted and sentenced to two weeks' jail for breaching Covid-19 regulations. "As the review of the PR statuses for Ian Fang and Lev Panfilov is ongoing, we are unable to share more details at this juncture," an ICA spokesperson told CNA. Fang, whose birth name is Fang Weijie, was sentenced to 40 months' jail on May 19 after he pleaded guilty to sexual offences involving a then 15-year-old minor. The 35-year-old was born in Shanghai and educated in Singapore. He pleaded guilty to three counts of sexually penetrating an underage girl. Three similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing, along with one count of obstructing justice and one count of stalking. Fang will begin his sentence on June 16. He was working as an acting instructor at a child modelling school for students aged four to 14 when he met the girl at an entertainment event. Between June and July 2024, Fang had sex with the teen on nine occasions - five of them unprotected. Panfilov, a Singapore PR from Russia, was an actor at comedy channel Wah!Banana. He was on March 21 found guilty of raping a woman he met on dating app Tinder. Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MFA rejects foreign embassies inciting domestic reactions; ICA reviews PR status of convicted sex criminals Ian Fang, Lev Panfilov: Singapore live news
Hello to all our readers, Yahoo Singapore will be bringing you live news updates today. The editorial team will be curating the latest must-know local and international news. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) made a firm statement on Wednesday (21 May), rejecting foreign embassies' involvement in stirring domestic opinions over global disputes. The comments followed a clash between the US and Chinese embassies in Singapore, centred on the South China Sea issue. MFA reiterated that diplomatic dialogue, not public social media posts, should handle such sensitive issues. After being convicted of serious sexual offences, former Mediacorp actor Ian Fang and former Wah!Banana actor Lev Panfilov now face the possibility of losing their permanent residency (PR) status in Singapore. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has initiated a review, but no details have been released yet regarding the outcome. Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has firmly rejected foreign embassies' attempts to incite domestic reactions to international issues. The statement came after a heated exchange on social media between the United States and Chinese embassies in Singapore over the South China Sea dispute. The MFA highlighted that such complex matters should be addressed through proper diplomatic channels, not social media campaigns that could stir local sentiments. China says it 'owns' nearly the entire South China Sea. International law says otherwise. In 2016, the Hague tribunal ruled Beijing's sweeping claims have no legal basis — yet construction, patrols, and coercion continue. From militarized reefs to 'gray zone' tactics, this… — Chargé d'Affaires Casey Mace (@USAmbSG) May 20, 2025 The controversy began when the US Embassy posted a video on Tuesday (20 May), likening China's actions in the South China Sea to a neighbour improperly claiming shared spaces in Singapore's public housing areas. The US Embassy's message criticised China's territorial claims, referencing a 2016 international tribunal ruling that found China's claims to the South China Sea had no legal basis. In response, the Chinese Embassy released a counter-video on Wednesday (21 May), accusing the U.S. of distorting facts and inciting regional instability. The Chinese Embassy further attacked US foreign policies, accusing Washington of undermining international law and stirring conflict. This exchange has intensified the longstanding diplomatic tensions surrounding the South China Sea. MFA's remarks underscore Singapore's commitment to maintaining neutrality in geopolitical issues and ensuring that international disputes are resolved diplomatically. Singapore has consistently called for peace and stability in the South China Sea, while advocating for adherence to international law and upholding the principles of diplomacy. Read on Singapore rejecting social media diplomacy here. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has confirmed it is reviewing the permanent residency (PR) statuses of Ian Fang and Lev Panfilov, following their respective criminal convictions. The two former entertainers were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for serious sexual offences. ICA, however, has declined to provide additional details, stating that the review is still ongoing. Fang, 35, a former Mediacorp actor, was convicted for sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl and sentenced to 40 months in prison. His PR status, which has been under scrutiny since his conviction, could potentially be revoked as a result of his crimes. Panfilov, 29, a former Wah!Banana actor, was sentenced to 11 years and six months in jail, in addition to 12 strokes of the cane, for raping and assaulting a woman he met on Tinder. The reviews come as part of Singapore's standard procedure for permanent residents who are convicted of serious crimes. According to ICA, convicted permanent residents may face the loss of their PR status, though decisions on such matters are handled on a case-by-case basis. The authority did not specify when or how the review will conclude. Fang's sentencing has shocked many, given his prominent role in Singapore's entertainment scene. Panfilov's case, on the other hand, drew widespread attention after a LinkedIn post by former Law Society vice-president Chia Boon Teck, which was widely criticised as victim-blaming. This public backlash led to calls for stronger condemnation of such actions and support for the victim. Both Fang and Panfilov are expected to face significant consequences beyond their jail sentences. Fang is set to begin his sentence in June, while Panfilov intends to appeal his conviction and sentence. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has firmly rejected foreign embassies' attempts to incite domestic reactions to international issues. The statement came after a heated exchange on social media between the United States and Chinese embassies in Singapore over the South China Sea dispute. The MFA highlighted that such complex matters should be addressed through proper diplomatic channels, not social media campaigns that could stir local sentiments. China says it 'owns' nearly the entire South China Sea. International law says otherwise. In 2016, the Hague tribunal ruled Beijing's sweeping claims have no legal basis — yet construction, patrols, and coercion continue. From militarized reefs to 'gray zone' tactics, this… — Chargé d'Affaires Casey Mace (@USAmbSG) May 20, 2025 The controversy began when the US Embassy posted a video on Tuesday (20 May), likening China's actions in the South China Sea to a neighbour improperly claiming shared spaces in Singapore's public housing areas. The US Embassy's message criticised China's territorial claims, referencing a 2016 international tribunal ruling that found China's claims to the South China Sea had no legal basis. In response, the Chinese Embassy released a counter-video on Wednesday (21 May), accusing the U.S. of distorting facts and inciting regional instability. The Chinese Embassy further attacked US foreign policies, accusing Washington of undermining international law and stirring conflict. This exchange has intensified the longstanding diplomatic tensions surrounding the South China Sea. MFA's remarks underscore Singapore's commitment to maintaining neutrality in geopolitical issues and ensuring that international disputes are resolved diplomatically. Singapore has consistently called for peace and stability in the South China Sea, while advocating for adherence to international law and upholding the principles of diplomacy. Read on Singapore rejecting social media diplomacy here. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has confirmed it is reviewing the permanent residency (PR) statuses of Ian Fang and Lev Panfilov, following their respective criminal convictions. The two former entertainers were sentenced to lengthy jail terms for serious sexual offences. ICA, however, has declined to provide additional details, stating that the review is still ongoing. Fang, 35, a former Mediacorp actor, was convicted for sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl and sentenced to 40 months in prison. His PR status, which has been under scrutiny since his conviction, could potentially be revoked as a result of his crimes. Panfilov, 29, a former Wah!Banana actor, was sentenced to 11 years and six months in jail, in addition to 12 strokes of the cane, for raping and assaulting a woman he met on Tinder. The reviews come as part of Singapore's standard procedure for permanent residents who are convicted of serious crimes. According to ICA, convicted permanent residents may face the loss of their PR status, though decisions on such matters are handled on a case-by-case basis. The authority did not specify when or how the review will conclude. Fang's sentencing has shocked many, given his prominent role in Singapore's entertainment scene. Panfilov's case, on the other hand, drew widespread attention after a LinkedIn post by former Law Society vice-president Chia Boon Teck, which was widely criticised as victim-blaming. This public backlash led to calls for stronger condemnation of such actions and support for the victim. Both Fang and Panfilov are expected to face significant consequences beyond their jail sentences. Fang is set to begin his sentence in June, while Panfilov intends to appeal his conviction and sentence.
