An Italian national was sentenced to eight years in prison, six strokes of the cane, and a S$9,000 fine in Singapore on October 7, 2026, for recruiting a Singaporean woman through Tinder under false pretenses and forcing her into sex work in Dubai.
The case unraveled after the victim, referred to in court documents as V1, contracted a sexually transmitted disease in Dubai and eventually managed to return to Singapore months later. Achraf Arjaouy, 32, contested the human trafficking charge following a trial, but the court ultimately rejected his defense arguments and handed down the sentence on Wednesday (Oct 7).
The Tinder Deception and False Promises of Marriage in Qatar
The sequence began in early 2021 after Arjaouy arrived in Singapore in March and matched with the victim on a dating app the following month. Posing as a wealthy pilot from a wealthy family in Qatar, he drew her into what prosecutors described as a whirlwind courtship
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Convinced that the relationship would lead to marriage in Qatar, the woman agreed to leave her life behind. The pair traveled to the United Arab Emirates on April 21, 2021. Prosecutors established that Arjaouy never intended to marry her or take her to Qatar, using the relocation instead as a pretext to isolate and exploit her.
Coerced Prostitution and Financial Exploitation in Dubai
Once they arrived in Dubai, Arjaouy fabricated a new obstacle to trap the victim further. He told her she needed to produce US$10,000 (about S$12,800) as proof of funds before she would be allowed entry into Qatar. Because she lacked the money, he pressured her into providing sexual services to raise the required sum.
The operation involved systemic control. Arjaouy took intimate photographs of the woman, set up profiles for her on Dubai escort websites, lined up customers, and booked hotel rooms for the appointments. He collected her earnings on a daily basis. While the victim was initially revolted by the prospect, she complied because she believed it was the only path to marrying him according to CNA.
During earlier proceedings, court disclosures detailed the severity of her ordeal. The prosecution stated that Arjaouy subjected the victim to degradation and threats of mutilation while capitalizing on her confusion.
Trial Arguments and District Judge Eugene Teo’s Rejection of the Defense
At trial, Arjaouy denied the trafficking charge and attempted to dismantle the victim’s credibility. He argued that a genuine trafficking victim would have acted differently and claimed her account was unbelievable given her physical appearance.
because a real victim would have behaved differently.
Achraf Arjaouy, via CNA
District Judge Eugene Teo dismissed both assertions. Addressing the remarks about the victim’s appearance, the judge noted that an individual does not require exceptional height, fair skin, or a full head of hair to rely on their looks—noting specifically that Arjaouy is bald.
Arjaouy Faces Prison and Fines for Human Trafficking
The court convicted Arjaouy under Singapore’s Prevention of Human Trafficking Act for recruiting a person through deception for sexual exploitation. The offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine reaching S$100,000, and up to six strokes of the cane. The prosecution chose not to pursue compensation for the victim, as Arjaouy had no financial means to pay.
Records from the Integrated Case Management System show that the S$9,000 fine remained unpaid, triggering an additional six weeks behind bars by default. Beyond this human trafficking conviction, Arjaouy faces 16 other pending charges mostly involving cheating allegations, which remain scheduled for subsequent court proceedings.
