On 12 December 2023, a 55-year-old man, who was a partner of Common Extract LLP, was charged in court for his involvement in cheating of grants under the Professional Conversion Programmes (“PCPs”) offered by Workforce Singapore (“WSG”).
PCPs help mid-career professionals, managers, executives and technicians undergo skills conversion through courses and on-the-job training, to assist their move into new occupations or sectors with opportunities for progression. The grant pay-outs include course fee subsidies and salary support grants which are computed based on the employee’s monthly salary.
The man enrolled two employees for various courses under the PCPs and submitted claims to offset their course fees and salaries. The man had allegedly, on or around 1 September 2017, falsely represented to WSG that the monthly salary of one of the employees was $5,800 when it was in fact lower, thereby dishonestly inducing WSG to disburse salary support grants amounting to $31,071.43. It is also alleged that the man had, on or around 1 March 2018, falsely represented that the same employee’s monthly salary had been increased from $5,800 to $6,666, thereby dishonestly inducing WSG to disburse salary support grants amounting to $18,283.89.
Between March 2019 and May 2019, the man had also allegedly deceived WSG into disbursing salary support grants and course fee subsidies amounting to a total of $21,100 by falsely representing that the other employee enrolled in a course under the PCP, had completed his on-the-job training tasks as required by WSG when it was in fact not carried out.
If convicted of an offence of cheating under Section 420 of the Penal Code, the man may face an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine.
The Police take a serious stance against the abuse of Government grants. Offenders will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
12 December 2023 @ 11:40 AM