Cryptocurrency Enthusiasts Often Speak of Singapore's Safety, Yet a Post-90s Female Exchange Manager Robbed of Nearly 3.9 Million SGD

Cryptocurrency enthusiasts often say that Singapore is safe, not just for people but also for money. As such, many choose to work, hold meetings, or even live in Singapore. Once in Singapore for meetings, they often gather at night to play Texas Hold'em poker, a habit that has now become customary.

See, this time playing poker led to trouble. According to Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao, an armed robbery occurred in a residential unit at King Albert Park. At least four men robbed 11 victims aged between 25 and 45 (suspected to be Chinese participants of a cryptocurrency poker game), taking various valuables including Singaporean and foreign currency, cryptocurrencies, and luxury brand watches, totaling about 4.34 million SGD.

With the cooperation of the Royal Malaysian Police, two male suspects aged 28 and 32 were arrested in Malaysia on April 27 and 28, respectively. They were extradited back to Singapore on April 30.

An insider revealed that one of the robbery victims, a 29-year-old female customer manager at an exchange, was threatened by about four masked men wielding machetes. They forced a transfer of funds via everyone's Binance wallets to another wallet, and took watches, cash, and other possessions before fleeing back to Malaysia. This series of actions likely involved an informant from within.

You might say it was merely a robbery, but how did the robbers know about transferring funds from Binance wallets? Or even know that the victims were involved in the cryptocurrency circle? The only possibility is that it was an inside job.

It could have been someone from the poker table, as knowing such detailed information without an inside man is nearly impossible, indicating many incidents in the crypto circle are often inside jobs. Importantly, these four men lacked even basic caution, not taking the mobile phones with them, which allowed the victims to call the police.

Why do cryptocurrency enthusiasts like Texas Hold'em?

Crypto enthusiasts might choose Texas Hold'em not just for entertainment but also for its technical and strategic aspects. The game requires analyzing probabilities, reading opponents' psychology, and even mathematical calculations, similar to the skills needed for cryptocurrency trading.

Texas Hold'em is a competitive game that, unlike simple gambling, focuses more on skill and strategy. Crypto enthusiasts may see Texas Hold'em as training to hone their analytical, decision-making, and psychological skills, which are crucial in their investment and trading activities.

Moreover, Texas Hold'em serves as a social activity. By interacting with other players, they can form relationships, gather information, and even engage in trading or collaborations. Such social networks are vital in the crypto world, as access to and exchange of information are critical for investment decisions.

Therefore, Texas Hold'em is not only a form of entertainment but also a tool for investment and networking. However, as you mentioned, this activity also carries risks, especially in events like robberies. For crypto enthusiasts, staying alert and implementing safety measures are crucial.

The robbery incident is indeed thought-provoking. As part of the crypto circle, when participating in poker games, it is vital to enhance security awareness, choose safe locations, and be wary of insiders to effectively reduce the risk of robberies or other security incidents during social activities like Texas Hold'em, thus safeguarding personal and property safety.