Singaporean woman posed as goddess to cheat followers out of seven million dollars

A Singaporean woman, Woo May Hoe, claiming to be a deity, cheated her followers into handing her more than $7 million and made them take loans totalling another $6.6 million from different financial institutions, reported The Strait Times.

The 53-year-old ‘goddess’ had about 30 followers, and she severely punished the ones who displeased her, pulling their teeth out from pliers and forcing some of them to eat human faeces.

On one occasion, she even forced a victim to jump off the second storey and threatened to push another if they did not comply.

Woo is now in remand after she pocketed the funds from 2012 to 2020.

She was arrested in 2020 after followers lodged police reports against her.

The prosecution said that many of Woo’s followers were suffering from or had relatives suffering from serious medical conditions at the time. They approached her, desperate for healing.

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Woo would guide them that it was crucial for her followers to clear their “bad karma”, and increase their “good karma” to improve their health and that of their loved ones.

She also told them that asking for receipts or proof of payment was “offensive” for any of them. Besides money, she also ordered them to buy houses, condominium units and cars as a form of “worship” – which she used for her own benefit.

Some beguiled followers left their full-time jobs and moved in to serve her as helpers.

On May 8, Woo pleaded guilty to three counts of assault and two cheating charges.

Forty-five other charges will be considered during sentencing.

Woo was sentenced to 10 and a half years in jail, and she has made a $675,500 restitution.