A 47-year-old woman was charged in court on 8 June 2021 with cheating and forgery offences involving the COVID-19 Support Grant (“CSG”). The CSG was launched in May 2020 to provide financial support to Singaporeans affected by the economic impact of COVID-19 and is administered by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (“MSF”).
The woman is alleged to have attempted to cheat MSF into disbursing the CSG by falsely declaring in her application that she had been placed on involuntary no-pay leave of more than three months due to COVID-19. She also allegedly forged a termination letter to support the false declaration in her CSG application. MSF did not approve her CSG application.
The woman is also facing additional charges for her involvement in a case of using stolen credit card to make unauthorised transactions and a case of criminal breach of trust. The charges are:
- Nine counts of abetment by conspiracy to commit cheating for her alleged involvement in using a stolen credit card to make unauthorised transactions amounting to $12,916.10; and
- One count of criminal breach of trust by an employee for allegedly misappropriating $4,015.72 in cash from her employer.
If convicted, the woman faces the following punishment:
- Imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years and a fine for the charge of attempted cheating and each charge of abetment by conspiracy to commit cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code;
- Imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years and a fine for the charge of forgery for the purpose of cheating under Section 468 of the Penal Code; and
- Imprisonment for a term which may extend to 15 years and a fine for the charge of criminal breach of trust by employees under Section 408 of the Penal code.
The Police takes a serious view against any person involved in fraudulent or dishonest conduct, especially pertaining to applications for government grants. Offenders will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
08 June 2021 @ 4:50 PM