$2m cheat blows it all on gambling

[Ccssgm]

A CUSTOMER service executive siphoned almost $2 million from his company over two years, and then lost it all in casinos.

 

A district court heard that while under probe for his sprees in Genting Highlands and on cruise ships, Ng Ting Hwa, 32, lied to get himself a new passport - and promptly left town to visit casinos.

 

In just six months from December 2006 to May last year, he blew $826,500 at the gaming tables. He has paid back only $72,500 of that sum.

 

Yesterday, Ng was jailed a total of 71/2 years.

 

He is single and holds a Bachelor of Science, Banking and Finance degree from the University of London at the Singapore Institute of Management.

 

The court heard that in 2004, he started working at Molnlycke Health Care Asia-Pacific, a leading provider of medical products.

 

From April 2005 till May last year, he sent his company's goods to Econworldwide Medical Group, an importer of branded health products.

 

Except for two occasions, Econworldwide paid Ng in cash or with cheques made out to him, rather than to his company.

 

In all, he pocketed $1.96 million from 35 shipments to Econworldwide.

 

It was only in May last year that his company's finance and logistics director raised the alarm over the many suspicious transactions in which goods had been shipped, but no payment received.

 

When confronted, Ng admitted that he had made use of the company's sales and distribution software system to prepare invoices and arrange for the goods to be delivered.

 

After the police took away his passport during the investigation, he decided to take a short break, according to his lawyer, Ms Hemalatha Silwaraju.

 

Ng went to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), claimed that he had lost his passport and obtained a new one. He used it to make several trips, including to Genting Highlands and a cruise ship's casino.

 

Deputy Public Prosecutors Amarjit Singh and Ong Luan Tze, asking for a stiff sentence, said Ng was unrepentant and had scant regard for the law and his company's trust in him.

 

Of his lying to get a replacement passport, Mr Amarjit said: 'He did not even have a valid reason to leave the country. Instead, he took a few leisure trips out, purportedly to gamble yet again!'

 

District Judge Thian Yee Sze said it was outrageous for Ng to have left Singapore with ill-gotten money, and imposed a rare jail term of 11/2 years for each of two charges under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, which makes it criminal for proceeds of a crime to be moved out of Singapore.

 

For lying to the ICA to get a new passport, he was jailed another two years; the rest of his jail term was imposed for two counts of criminal breach of trust.

 

Ng, who pleaded guilty last month to six charges, had 12 others considered during sentencing.

 

His lawyer, Ms Silwaraju, said that he regretted his offences, had cooperated with the authorities and had become involved in community work.

 

But Judge Thian was not impressed. She said Ng's offences were pre-meditated and planned, and he had no regard for the administration and enforcement of justice.

 

The court took a grave view of such conduct, she said, adding that a deterrent sentence was called for to warn others against committing similar offences.

 

 

If he kept the $$$, JAIL for 71/2 years

 

WORTH IT OR NOT [idea]

[Sosaria]

...After the police took away his passport during the investigation, he decided to take a short break, according to his lawyer, Ms Hemalatha Silwaraju.

 

Ng went to the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), claimed that he had lost his passport and obtained a new one. He used it to make several trips, including to Genting Highlands and a cruise ship's casino. ...

 

This is a guy who was under police investigation and had his passport taken away as a precautionary measure. Yet no alarm was raised at ICA when he applied for a new passport?? How come? Aren't they all under "Home team", but why so uncoordinated?? ...This is amazing... and troubling, if you consider the safety and security aspects.

 

How can we be so sure then, that MSK is still in singapore? For all we know, he applied for a new passport and left already...

[Ccssgm]

Monthly ATM Can withdrawl $$$

That OK for them