Ex Wah!banana actor, 27, accused of raping woman he met on Tinder

He is contesting the charges.

Natalie Teo |
May 16, 2023, 2:53 pm

We’re not starting a cult but some followers on Instagram would be nice. Thank you.

Online content creator Lev Panfilov, 27, has been accused of raping a woman he met on dating app Tinder.

According to a report by CNA, the Singapore permanent resident who is originally from Russia claimed trial on May 16 to four charges of molestation, sexual assault and rape.

A report by Straits Times mentioned that the woman was then 30 years old. She cannot be named due to a gag order.

The offences allegedly took place after they met for the first time on Jan. 12, 2021.

What happened

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Sruthi Boppana told the court that Lev and the woman met through Tinder.

Lev had stated that he was a scriptwriter on his Tinder profile, and the woman decided to match him in hopes of getting some advice and feedback on a script she was trying to write.

After exchanging messages over the app and on Whatsapp, the two met in person at a restaurant at Robertson Quay and worked on the script over dinner.

At closing time, Lev suggested they continue working at his apartment and the woman agreed.

In his home, they worked on the script for some time before Lev allegedly forced a kiss on the woman and raped her.

The prosecution said that this was despite the woman’s “repeated entreaties for him to stop”.

After the deed, Lev told the woman she could leave, and booked a private hire vehicle to take her home.

After the incident, the woman experienced pain in her lower abdominal region, and sought medical treatment.

The victim struggled to decide whether or not to make a police report, but did so after her mother saw her crying in her room on Jan. 18 and asked what had happened.

Who is Lev Panfilov?

Lev Panfilov is a former Content Specialist with Singapore YouTube comedy channel Wah!banana.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he left Wah!banana in May 2021, and is currently a Consulting Manager with Achieve Group, a recruitment agency.

He continues to be active on TikTok, where he primarily posts skits on life in Singapore.

Top image via Lev Panfilov’s Instagram.

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