A Singaporean man who lost about S$2,000 (US$1,558) while gambling on a Resorts World casino cruise resorted to an alarming act of desperation — sending bomb threats to the company in hopes of getting his money back.
Neo Hui Ghim, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of communicating false information about a harmful situation. Initially slated for sentencing on September 22, his hearing was moved to October 27, where he faces up to seven years in prison, a S$50,000 fine, or both, according to The Straits Times.
From Losing Bets to Bomb Threats
In October 2023, Neo joined a Resorts World Cruises (RWC) voyage from Singapore to Malaysia with his parents. After failing to secure concert tickets onboard, he turned to the casino — and lost about S$2,000 across multiple visits.
Just hours after the cruise ended on October 13, Neo sent an email to RWC’s customer service with the subject line: “Bomb at Resorts World Cruises.”
“Please return me back my monies else the ship will explode, and everyone dropped into the sea,” the email read.
Neo’s poor attempt at anonymity backfired when investigators quickly traced the message to the same email address he’d used to book the trip. He was arrested within three hours, but not before his hoax disrupted around 4,000 passengers preparing to board the next cruise.
Authorities, including Singapore police, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and cruise security, conducted extensive searches. No explosives or threats were found onboard.
Desperation on the High Seas
Neo’s case isn’t the first time a casino cruise gambler has gone to extremes. Earlier this month, Royal Caribbean passenger Jey Gonzalez-Diaz allegedly jumped overboard near Puerto Rico after losing US$16,000 in the ship’s casino. He was rescued by a jet-skier and later taken into federal custody.
Both incidents underscore how gambling losses — especially at sea — can push some individuals toward desperate and dangerous acts.
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