Man jailed after attempt to get 'VIP' to ‘tailgate' at Taylor Swift concert

Chinese national pleads guilty to one charge of criminal trespass

- Christine Tan

A man who attempted to get another man to "tailgate" a concertgoer into Taylor Swift's concert has been jailed for two weeks in what is believed to be the Republic's first concluded prosecution linked to the American pop star's Eras Tour.

Eleven days after the failed attempt on March 7, Chinese national Wu Zhihong, 54, had to face the music as he pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal trespass.

Appearing in court on March 18 via video-link from remand and speaking via a Mandarin interpreter, Wu said: "I never knew that there would be such serious consequences for this." The court heard that between February and March 2024, Mr Yan Shuqing, 20, searched Chinese e-commerce platforms for resale Singapore Eras Tour tickets.

He bought a ticket online for 3,000 yuan (S$570) from a seller on March 6. The seller told him to arrive at the National Stadium ahead of the concert on March 7Swift's fourth show - for his "staff" to help him go through the gates.

On the day of the concert, Mr Yan met Wu at the Singapore Sports Hub, where Wu gave him a lanyard and an A4-sized Taylor Swift poster.

The two men entered the security check area, where concertgoers' personal belongings were being checked.

Wu was charged with criminal trespass for entering this area as he had intended to dupe security officers into believing that Mr Yan had a valid concert ticket when he did not.