True Yoga salesman sold giveaway vouchers, passes
A yoga studio salesman was sentenced on June 13 to three months and three weeks’ jail for cheating after he sold vouchers and monthly visit-passes meant to be given out free to True Yoga members.
Darence Tan Kai Jie came up with the plan in order to meet his target of selling membership to a minimum of 15 people every month.
Under his contact, the sales consultant for True Yoga would receive a commission of around $10 for every new membership he secured. Court documents did not disclose his basic pay.
If he fails to meet his target, he had to forfeit to the studio the commission from the first five sales that month.
Court documents showed that when the 33-year-old could not meet his monthly targets, he sold the studio’s membership perks to make some money between 2017 and 2019.
At the time, True Yoga ran a programme where existing members who upgraded their membership were entitled to 10 personal-training vouchers and monthly visit passes.
Tan, who was in charge of processing the applications for new clients, sold the vouchers and passes to them under the guise of a discounted membership.
He cheated at least three women out of more than $3,700 but was found out by the country manager of the studio, who reported Tan to the police.
The court heard that the yoga studio continued to provide the allocated sessions to the women at its own expense after Tan was caught.
Tan, who pleaded guilty to three counts of cheating in May, has not made any restitution to the studio, which is under the True Group. The group currently operates five centres in Singapore.
In addition to the jail sentence, Tan was also fined $800 on June 13 for one charge under the Common Gaming Houses Act.
Four counts of criminal breach of trust, four counts of cheating and one for breaking Covid-19 temporary measures were taken into consideration for his sentencing.
Tan had flouted Covid-19 temporary measures in December 2021 by taking part in an illegal poker game with 20 others.
At the time, group sizes were limited to five people. Tan was then on bail for the cheating charges.
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