SINGAPORE — Ian Fang, once one of Mediacorp's most promising young actors, was sentenced to 40 months in jail in May 2025 after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual offences involving a then-15-year-old girl — a fall from grace that ranks among the darkest scandals to hit Singapore's entertainment industry.
Fang, 35, had sex with the teenager nine times in June 2024 at various locations, including a hotel and a hospital. He had met the girl at an event in 2024 while working as an acting coach at a child modelling school; after exchanging contact details, the relationship continued over messaging apps. He knew the girl was 15.
The details that emerged in court shocked the public. On one occasion, the victim was hospitalised for a flu infection, and Fang entered her hospital room after midnight when her mother had stepped out, and had sex with her there. Most of the encounters were unprotected. The girl later complained of pain around her genital area and was found to have contracted human papillomavirus (HPV). In August 2024, she was admitted to the Institute of Mental Health and diagnosed with adjustment disorder.
Beyond the sexual offences, Fang faced charges of harassment and obstructing the course of justice. Prosecutors said he had tried to manipulate the victim into not pressing charges — including instructing her to cry in front of her mother and ask her not to report him. Deputy Public Prosecutor Lynda Lee described his behaviour as showing a high degree of exploitation, noting the girl had come to believe sex was the only way to keep him close. District Judge Eddy Tham found that Fang had taken advantage of her emotional vulnerability and gaslighted her to save himself.
Fang had once been full of promise. Named one of Mediacorp's Eight Dukes of Caldecott Hill, he starred in popular dramas including C.L.I.F., On The Fringe and Don't Stop Believin', won Best Newcomer at the 2013 Star Awards, and twice made the Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes list in 2015 and 2017. In April 2023, he left Mediacorp after 12 years, calling it the beginning of a new chapter — the same year he began coaching young talents at the child modelling school where he would meet his victim.
Even before the criminal case, Fang had a history of public missteps. He reportedly called the victim 18 times in a single day, messaged her on WhatsApp, and accessed her virtual karaoke room through a public app.
The New Paper reported that Fang was out on S$30,000 bail and would begin serving his sentence on June 16. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority confirmed his permanent residency status was under review. Under Singapore law, sexual penetration of a minor under 16 carries up to 10 years' jail and a fine per count.
The case has become a touchstone in Singapore's conversation about power imbalances between adult mentors and the minors in their care.