A conman in Singapore has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for pretending to be a lawyer. 

In April 2016 Wong Antonio Aromin met a widow, Phang Sok Kian Audrey, and told her that he was a lawyer, despite having no legal qualifications. Wong persuaded Phang to instruct him over legal issues arising from her late husband's estate. 

Over the next four months Wong repeatedly lied to Phang which included porkies that he had been representing her in court proceedings, when he had done nothing. Wong duped the widow into transferring almost SGD20,000 into his account for his "legal services", which he then proceeded to spend on a holiday and paying off his debts.

Police rumbled Wong and arrested him in September 2016, but he was released on bail. In July 2018 he found another victim, Song Li Siah. The trickster once again pretended to be a lawyer and offered to help Song over a dispute that she had with a former employer. Despite doing no work, Wong was paid SGD3,500 from Song. After a few weeks Song realised that she had been conned and reported Wong to the police.

Presiding judge Kessler Soh called Wong a "recalcitrant cheat" and, noting the high levels of planning involved in his frauds, sentenced him to 15 months in prison.  

For reference, this is the correct way to deal with a charlatan.