NOC founder Ryan Tan returns $1,000 to stranger after netizens tell latter 'Ryan is rich'

Ex-NOC founder Ryan Tan has returned the $1,000 he received from a stranger after getting backlash from netizens. 

Khoo Keat Hwee, who wired the money to Tan after seeing the latter say he was "officially broke" on Instagram, told AsiaOne on Thursday (June 30) that Tan declined to accept the money. 

According to the 35-year-old F&B chain owner, Tan was "having difficulties going through this current situation" but refused to take the money as he was affected by the comments on the TikTok video that Khoo had posted last Saturday. 

Despite the detractors, Khoo maintained that he did not want the refund, and did not donate money for the sake of publicity. 

"I told Ryan that I still root for him and wish to see him rise again," Khoo added. 

On June 25, Khoo posted a TikTok video where he shared that he donated $1,000 to Tan, as the latter's story struck "close to his heart". 

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However, he soon received a barrage of messages from netizens who told him "Ryan is rich". Netizens also pointed out that Tan stays in a penthouse which underwent a $200,000 renovation in 2020. 

To clarify the situation, Khoo posted a second TikTok video on Wednesday explaining that he didn't know who Tan was. 

"I misunderstood Ryan's meaning of being broke. Yep I helped. Now I realise he's doing way better than me still [sic]," he wrote. 

Using a trending TikTok audio with the lyrics "the joke is on you", Khoo poked fun at himself saying, "the joke is on me". 

Some of the comments he received included: "Please help the real broke ones. Your [$1,000] can help many poor families instead of an influencer living in private housing." 

Khoo elaborated: "Never knew much about Ryan as I don't follow [many] celebrities or influencers. I just enjoy helping and honestly wanted to help someone that went through a big fall." 

'I enjoy helping'

In the same video, he offered to donate $1,000 each to three non-profit organisations. "Though I know I'll get some haters thinking I'm trying to get publicity over this. I always enjoyed helping." 

As for the money Tan returned, he will be donating it.

Khoo too, was once beset with financial troubles, and had a $120,000 debt after a failed F&B venture. To pay off his debts, he worked 12- to 16-hour shifts as a Grab driver for two years. 

Now that his financial situation is stable, he wants to help others who are in need. 

Khoo told AsiaOne he has since donated $1,000 each to the Singapore Association for Mental Health and social activist Gilbert Goh, and he plans to do the same for migrant worker charity Its Raining Raincoats and Voices for Animals. 

He recently transferred $200 each to three individuals who were in debt and he's advising them on their debt repayment scheme. 

"Whoever I donate to, people will have things to say. I just gotta do [what I have to]." 

AsiaOne has reached out to Tan for comment. 

claudiatan@asiaone.com