Man jailed for falsifying course records to cheat more than S$72,000 in training grants
Photo illustration of handcuffs. (Photo: CNA/Jeremy Long)
SINGAPORE: A trainer was sentenced to 20 weeks’ jail on Friday (Apr 8) for falsifying course records to cheat more than S$72,000 in training grants.
Marsh Terranova Tiruchellam, 54, was convicted on Dec 17 last year of three charges of falsifying attendance records to cheat then Workforce Development Agency (WDA) into believing that he had conducted courses, SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) said in a press release.
Three similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.
Marsh was a trainer at Loyal Reliance, a training provider engaged to conduct courses for employees of Yoke Mah Plasterceil.
Between July 2014 and November 2014, he falsified six attendance records, which showed that employees of Yoke Mah Plasterceil had attained full attendance for courses, although he did not conduct them.
He is the last of five individuals sentenced for this case, said SSG. The four others were sentenced to jail terms ranging from 11 weeks to 29 months, said SSG.
The agency added that it takes a “serious view of any individual or organisation that defrauds or abuses SSG funding”.
“Their actions undermine the work of many others who dedicate their career and businesses to delivering proper, high quality adult education to Singaporeans,” said SSG, adding that it will not hesitate to take action against those found contravening its funding terms and conditions.
