Man charged over fake crocodile picture at Singapore reservoir

Ye Lin, 30, was charged in Singapore on 29 September with communicating a false message and obstructing the course of justice over an allegedly AI-generated picture of a crocodile at Pandan Reservoir. He told the court through an interpreter that he intended to plead guilty and would not hire a lawyer, CNA and The Straits Times reported. His next hearing is scheduled for 10 November. [2] [3]

Police allege that Ye created the image and sent it to a colleague on 20 August. CNA reported that court documents accuse him of deleting the images and his Gemini app history from his phone the next day. Police said he deleted the image and a related application in an attempt to conceal his actions. [1] [2]

Singapore’s water agency PUB was alerted to a reported crocodile sighting on 20 August. Water activities were suspended while PUB and the National Parks Board searched the area. PUB later determined that the photograph was fake and referred the matter to police. The search ended, and water activities resumed on 22 August. [1] [3]