SingaporeAIReservoirLegalCrime
Singapore Arrests Ye Lin After AI Crocodile Image Triggers Two‑Day Reservoir Closure
Published: September 30, 2026
Ye Lin, a 30‑year‑old Myanmar national, posted an AI‑generated crocodile image at Singapore’s Pandan Reservoir on August 20, prompting a two‑day shutdown of the water agency’s work. He faces up to three years in prison and an $8,000 fine, and will return to court on November 10.
The Singapore Police Force arrested Ye Lin on Monday, charging him with distributing a false message and obstructing the course of justice after he posted a doctored image of a crocodile swimming in Pandan Reservoir.
Investigators traced the image to Lin’s Gemini app, noting that he deleted the file the day after sending it to an unnamed colleague, Min Min Oo, in an attempt to hide the false content.
When the national water agency received the screenshot, it suspended all maintenance work at the reservoir for 48 hours, forcing local rowing and canoeing clubs to cancel meetings and training sessions.
Under Singapore’s Misuse of Information Act, Lin faces up to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to S$8,000 for the false message, and up to seven years if the obstruction charge sticks; he is expected to plead guilty and will appear before the Central Criminal Court on November 10.