How many of you guys actually claimed SkillsFuture Credits?
I know a lot of Singaporeans do, and find them useful.
FYI, even singer-songwriter Stefanie Sun claimed them for her painting classes!
While it is generous of the government to set aside a fund to boost our employability, some took the opportunity to misuse it.
What happened
According to Channel News Asia, 5 people have been charged with a series of offences, which resulted in almost $40 million in fraudulent claims being paid out by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG).
SSG said the offences include “engaging in a conspiracy to submit forged documents to fraudulently obtain training subsidies from SSG, and to conceal the benefits from such criminal conduct”.
The police seized substantial cash and froze some bank accounts involved in the case.
About the group
The group is suspected to be a criminal syndicate.
39-year-old Lim Wee Hong David was charged with four counts of getting a total of $1.8 million in cash from a Vincent Peter when he had reasons to believe it was criminal proceeds.
Lim was also charged with perverting the course of justice, as well as taking in $600,000 in criminal proceeds by “causing a computer to perform a function for the purpose of securing access to a program with intent to commit cheating”.
He also provided false information to a Commercial Affairs Officer.
One of the two women in the group, Lee Lai Leng, was accused of forging a CPF Board document.
It was done to cheat Skillsfuture Singapore into giving course fee subsidies to Ky and Lin Firm.
She was also charged with “intentionally perverting the course of justice” by telling another partner-in-crime, 30-year-old Lee Chi Wai, to reformat his phone.
It had contained evidence of their dealings. She discarded her own phone near Henderson Wave.
Additionally, Lee was charged with making him conceal S$6.7 million in cash and 11kg of gold (worth $600,000), which he removed from a safe when asked to.
She knew that the property represented “another’s benefits from criminal conduct”, as stated on documents, “namely causing a computer to perform a function for the purpose of securing access to a programme” meant for cheating.
Lee Chi Wai was charged with dishonestly receiving stolen property after he allegedly received $49,950 in his bank account.
He did this while believing it was stolen property.
He also faced a charge of receiving 5kg of gold (worth $280,000), while having “reasonable grounds to believe that the property in whole indirectly represents another person’s benefits from criminal conduct”.
Fifty-nine-year-old Tan Yoon Nooi was charged with having $49,950 in her bank account, that represented another person’s benefits from criminal conduct.
A fifth person, 41-year-old Ng Cheng Kwee, faced two charges.
He allegedly involved himself in a conspiracy with others to make a forged document seem genuine.
He also engaged in a conspiracy with the female Lee to conceal $6.7 million and 11kg of gold (worth $600,000) in Singapore and China.
The group “operated an organised network that utilised nine business entities, comprising employer companies and training providers, to submit the fraudulent claims.”
How they were exposed
SSG said it found anomalies in claims for training grants at the end of October this year and immediately suspended all payments to the nine businesses.
They subsequently made a police report.
What has been done
SSG added that it has taken immediate actions to make processes more strict.
It implemented fraud analytics while doing a thorough review of the system.
Find out more about the case in this video.
Thumbs up to SSG for spotting it, who knows how much more they will “claim”!
On the other hand, what do you think is the loophole in the old system that made all these possible?
Since you’re here, why not watch a video about a guy who lodged a Police report here in Singapore because he was friendzoned? Seriously. Here, watch it and do remember to share it (and also subscribe to Goody Feed YouTube channel)!
This article was first published on goodyfeed.com
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Featured Image: gov.sg
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