Woman jailed for cheating employer of more than $317,000
Over three years, an accounting manager conspired with another colleague to cheat her employer, a custom carpentry firm, of $317,710 in total.
Chiang Lai Fah, 37, who was entrusted by Kai Millwork to approve payments to freelancers, did so for false invoices and kept a part of the money.
She even lied to a couple – her friends – to gain access to their bank accounts, which she used to move more than $171,000.
On March 15, Chiang pleaded guilty to one charge of cheating and one charge of conspiring to cheat, and was sentenced to 10 months’ jail.
Three other charges, amounting to $145,720, were taken into consideration during sentencing.
The court heard that in 2021, Chiang’s colleague Teoh Chwin Tzen, referred to as Jason in court documents, approached Chiang to propose a scheme whereby they could cheat the company.
Jason, who was a supervisor in the firm, was in charge of engaging freelancers and approving invoices for any work done by them.
He would falsify, or instruct someone else to falsify invoices for work done by freelancers, when the work was actually done by employees of the firm. This is because employees of the firm are not entitled to any commission.
Chiang was to sign off on the invoices for payment, and the “freelancers” would then transfer the money to Jason.
Chiang agreed, after she was promised a cut of the proceeds for her help.
Sometime in 2022, Chiang approached her friend to ask if she could use her friend’s husband’s bank account. She lied to them saying the bank account would be used to receive the salary of a foreign worker who did not have his own account.
The couple was supposed to inform Chiang after receiving the “salary”, and she would inform them to transfer the money to her own account. Chiang would then pass the money to Jason.
Between January 2022 and December 2022, Chiang approved falsified invoices using her friend’s husband’s name and sent payments amounting to $171,990 to his bank account on 15 occasions.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicole Teo, who sought a jail term of between 10 months and a year, said that Chiang retained more than $82,000 from the scheme.
She has since made full restitution to the firm.
Chiang’s actions came to light after Jason was investigated for offences related to the company.
The Straits Times understands that Jason’s case is still pending.
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