Exchange student gets jail for stalking ex-friends, accessing their Telegram accounts to find out why they cut him off

An American exchange student has been sentenced to 20 weeks in jail for stalking three former friends and illegally accessing their private conversations to understand why their friendships ended. Kevin Gao, 23, hired a hacker from the dark web to gain access to the victims' Telegram accounts.

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To find out why two girls stopped being friends with him, a 23-year-old man hired a hacker from the dark web to get access to their Telegram accounts and read their conversations.

Gao also stalked one of the girls, who, along with the other two victims, was 17 at the time of the incidents. He had met all three victims online through platforms like Discord and Roblox. The prosecution sought a jail term of seven to nine months, emphasizing the "egregious and escalating" nature of Gao's conduct and the vulnerability of his victims.

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Kevin Gao, an American exchange student, was sentenced to 20 weeks' jail on Friday (Jun 19) for his actions.

The defense team argued for a two-month sentence, presenting psychiatric evaluations that indicated Gao suffered from major depressive disorder with anxious distress. They contended that his mental health condition significantly impaired his judgment and decision-making capabilities, leading to poor choices. Gao's lawyers also highlighted his self-harm incidents, including an attempted suicide while in remand.

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He also stalked one of them and another former friend - both girls were 17 at the time.

Despite acknowledging Gao's mental health struggles, District Judge Ong Hian Sun ruled that he must be held accountable for the harm caused to the young victims. The judge sentenced him to 20 weeks in jail, a decision that balances the need for deterrence with consideration for the defendant's condition. Gao is expected to be deported upon completion of his sentence.

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Deputy public prosecutor Ashley Chin asked for seven to nine months’ jail for Gao, emphasising his “egregious and escalating” conduct, and noting that all of his victims were under the age of 18 at the time.