Overview
- A photo showing a crocodile at Pandan Reservoir prompted authorities to suspend water activities and launch search operations after it was reported on Aug 20.
- PUB verified the image was fake, filed a police report on Aug 21, and allowed water activities to resume from Aug 22 after search efforts were halted.
- Police charged 30-year-old Ye Lin on Sept 29 with communicating a false message and obstructing the course of justice, and he told the court he intends to plead guilty; the case returns on Nov 10.
- Communicating a false message carries up to three years in jail and a fine of up to S$10,000, while obstructing the course of justice can carry up to seven years, giving a combined maximum exposure of roughly 10 years in prison plus fines.
- Investigators say Ye created the AI image, sent it to a colleague, and then deleted the picture and the Gemini app history in an attempt to conceal his actions, and police have urged the public not to submit or share fabricated or altered images presented as real.