Man Faces Jail for Bomb Threats to Cruise Operator

A 41-year-old man is facing years in prison after admitting he sent multiple bomb threats to Resorts World Cruises in an attempt to recover money lost gambling on one of its ships.

Neo Hui Ghim pleaded guilty to one charge of communicating false information about a harmful situation, an offense in Singapore that carries up to seven years in jail, a S$50,000 fine, or both. His sentencing, initially scheduled for September 22, has been postponed.

The threats triggered a large-scale security operation and disrupted travel for thousands of passengers. Court records state that Neo made the threats shortly after losing about S$2,000 at the casino during a Singapore–Malaysia round trip cruise in October 2023.

Neo boarded the cruise with his parents on October 11 for a concert and some gambling. When told the concert was sold out and after suffering significant gambling losses, he grew angry. Less than an hour after disembarking on October 13, he emailed Resorts World Cruises’ customer team using the same email he had registered with, writing: “Bomb at Resorts World Cruises.”

“If I don’t receive the money I hope that one day Resorts World Cruises will explode and all guests and service personnel will drop into the sea,” one message read. Another warned: “Next time, if I lose again, I’ll make sure the whole cruise is burnt.” Two further threats followed within hours.

Authorities reacted quickly, with Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority and police boarding the docked ship. They carried out a full inspection of the casino and cabins, delaying the boarding of about 4,000 passengers for nearly two hours. Neo was arrested the same day.

Prosecutors noted that panic and confusion among cruise staff hampered initial communication with authorities, adding to delays in the response.

Court documents also revealed this was not Neo’s first threat. In August 2023, he had emailed the company saying staff would “die in hell,” leading to a separate charge under the Protection from Harassment Act, which carries up to six months in jail and a S$5,000 fine.

Following his arrest, Neo underwent psychiatric assessment at the Institute of Mental Health. Investigators later found he had tried to recall and delete the threatening emails, though at least one was recovered from his device.