Employee Who Used Company’s Printers for His Own Printing Business Sentenced to Jail

Everything takes home something from work right?

Some take home a pen, some take a piece of paper, others, like me, take home a cat.

Boss: So that’s where Mr Bubbles went…

There’s a rather thick and clearly visible line between borrowing and stealing, of course. The pen, paper, and maybe the cat should eventually be returned to the office.

Unfortunately, it seems one man didn’t get the memo.

Employee Who Used Company’s Printers for His Own Printing Business

Our story begins in October 2014, when 56-year-old Mike Song started working as a production manager for 8 Ink Media, a company specialising in printing services.

Since his job entailed printing orders, he was entrusted with printing resources such as ink and paper.

He soon started feeling that he wasn’t being given enough opportunities to progress in his career, even though the company was successful and expanding.

So he had three options:

1. Quit
2. Start his own company
3. Have a heart-to-heart with his boss

Song went with option 2, and started his own freelance company in Aug 2016, which also specialised in printing services.

Sounds fine, right? Except he used resources from 8 Ink Media, where he was still employed.

In fact, Song had been using the company’s resources for his own operations since Nov 2015, when he was selling products on the side.

Even after the company transferred its assets and employees to INX Events & Productions in February 2019, Song continued with his misdeeds.

In total, the 56-year-old earned around S$57,480 from his personal clients between November 2015 and December 2019.

Busy with his own operations, Song often did not turn up for work during office hours. Instead, he would go to the office late at night.

His offences only came to light when another employee grew suspicious and reported his actions to the company’s general manager last February.

A police report was then lodged.

Jailed for 1 Year

Yesterday (29 July), Song was sentenced to one year in jail, after pleading guilty to two charges of criminal breach of trust as an employee.

Another four charges were taken into consideration.

After he was caught, Song agreed to repay the company the S$58,000 in instalments, and completed payment on 9 June this year.

Why Criminal Breach of Trust?

Song was charged with a criminal breach of trust because he was entrusted with the company’s resources and then dishonestly misappropriated or converted the property for his own use.

This is why the charge carries a hefty penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine.

After reading this, you must be thinking, it seems that all the laws protect the employers only. Well, you are wrong for there are laws that protect workers as well. Watch all about those laws here:

Read Also:

• 2 South Korean Nationals, Who Worked at Construction Company, Jailed 8 Months for Bribing LTA Director
• SingPost Senior VP Allegedly Deceived Company Into Paying Him $840,000 in Wages Over 4 Yrs

Featured Image: KoOlyphoto/ shutterstock.com