JOHOR BARU — Fifteen individuals, including Malaysians and Chinese nationals, were collectively fined RM56,700 after pleading guilty to charges related to a job scam targeting victims in the United States. The accused appeared in the Magistrate’s Court here on Thursday and admitted to criminal conspiracy to commit cheating by offering fraudulent job opportunities online.

The court proceedings were held in two separate sessions. In the first, nine Malaysian men were each fined RM3,500 with the option of six months’ imprisonment if the fines were not paid. The group included Liew Ming Hui, 23; Chong Yong Xuan, 25; Gan Kai Lin, 20; Gan Wei Xiang, 23; Myles Tan Yi, 21; Eldrick Tan Chin Lim, 24; Tan Hong Wei, 23; Dennis Chong Wen Wei, 26; and Chuah Kian Wei, 21. The charges against them fall under a section of law that carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail, a fine, or both.

In a separate courtroom session, another group comprising one Malaysian, Yau Chin Lin, 33, and five Chinese nationals—Dong Ningning, 34; Chen Haihui, 40; Wang Mengnan, 34; Li Xing, 28; and Sun Qixin, 30—pleaded guilty to the same charge. The charge was read to them in Mandarin. Magistrate Atifah Hazimah Wahab sentenced each member of this group to a fine of RM4,200, with a default jail term of six months should they fail to pay.

Authorities said the syndicate orchestrated a scheme to deceive people in the United States by advertising fake job offers online as part of their criminal conspiracy. Further details on the investigation, including the scale of the scam or the methods used to lure victims, were not disclosed.

The case highlights ongoing concerns about cross-border online scams that exploit job seekers, with law enforcement agencies continuing efforts to identify and prosecute individuals involved in such activities. The sentences handed down reflect the judiciary’s role in addressing cybercrime and fraudulent schemes that target victims internationally.