A Singaporean man who fled the country on a fishing boat more than two decades ago to avoid a jail sentence has been caught and sentenced after attempting to re-enter Singapore under a false identity at Singapore Changi Airport (SIN).
Tan Khi Wie, 58, was sentenced on August 11, 2026 to 14 months and three weeks in jail after being convicted of six charges under the Immigration Act and Penal Code, with another 16 charges taken into consideration for sentencing.
A decades-old case catches up
Tan’s troubles date back to August 2002, when he was convicted of cheating the then-Singapore Productivity and Standards Board into disbursing a S$195,800 (US$109,300) grant under the Local Enterprise Technical Assistance Scheme.
He was sentenced to 18 months in jail and filed a notice of appeal that same month, but fled the country rather than serve his sentence.
Investigations later found that Tan left Singapore illegally on a fishing boat sometime between August 2002 and January 2003, traveling first to Pasir Gudang in Johor, Malaysia, before continuing on to Thailand and eventually settling in Jakarta, Indonesia.
After failing to appear for a court mention in January 2003, a warrant was issued for his arrest the following month.
Slipping back into Singapore under a false name
Despite the outstanding warrant, Tan returned to Singapore multiple times between 2011 and 2016, using Indonesian passports under the false identity “Ken Srona” to enter and leave the country.
He also falsely declared on his disembarkation forms that he had never previously used a passport under a different name to enter Singapore.
His deception finally unraveled on March 7, 2026, when he attempted to clear immigration at Changi Airport using the same false identity.
He was unable to complete clearance through the automated lanes, prompting officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to conduct further checks.
The checks revealed his true identity and the outstanding police warrant, leading to his arrest and handover to the Singapore Police Force.
Stronger airport checks credited with the catch
In a joint statement, the police and ICA said Tan’s case reflects the effectiveness of upgraded immigration screening technology.
Since July 2020, multi-modal biometric systems have been deployed across Singapore’s land, sea, and air checkpoints to detect travelers using multiple or assumed identities, with all automated lanes now equipped with iris and facial scanners.
Authorities said the combined use of these biometric checks provides a highly accurate way to verify travelers’ identities and strengthens the country’s ability to secure its borders.
ICA warned that it would take firm action against anyone attempting to enter or leave Singapore using an impersonated identity or one that differs from previous travel records, in an effort to circumvent immigration checks.