Company director charged after allegedly pocketing S$400,000 in maintenance fees from 4 condominiums
The accused was director of a company that managed The Bale, The Peak, Seasuites Condominium and Serenity Park Condominium.
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SINGAPORE: The director of a company that managed condominiums was on Wednesday (Dec 17) charged with misappropriating more than S$400,000 (US$310,000) in maintenance fees paid by residents.
Judy Chong Chio Tee, 55, allegedly did this between 2017 and 2024 in relation to four condominiums: The Bale, The Peak, Seasuites Condominium and Serenity Park Condominium.
She faces 21 charges including criminal breach of trust and forgery. She indicated to the court that she would plead guilty.
Chong's company was appointed as the managing agent of the four property developments, the police said. Charge sheets stated that she was the director of Alpha Property Management and Consultants.
In a statement, the police said that between April 2021 and May 2024, they received and investigated several reports about Chong allegedly misappropriating fee payments from residents.
The normal procedure was for residents to issue cheques to the bank accounts of each condominium's management corporation strata title, which refers to the managing body of a condominium.
However, Chong allegedly offered alternative modes of payment to the residents such as paying her in cash or transferring money to the bank account of her company.
Court documents stated that she allegedly pocketed maintenance fees and sinking fund fees. On one occasion, she also took for herself the money paid for repair works carried out inside a condominium apartment.
About S$148,000 was allegedly taken from The Bale in East Coast, S$120,000 from Seasuites Condominium in Pasir Panjang, S$103,000 from Serenity Park Condominium in Seletar and S$49,000 from The Peak in Pasir Panjang.
Chong is also accused of falsifying documents such as a set of audited accounts for The Bale and financial statements for Serenity Park Condominium. She purportedly did this so that others would believe that there were no issues with the finances of the two estates.
Chong is out on bail of S$50,000 and will return to court next month.
If convicted of criminal breach of trust as an agent, she could be jailed for up to 20 years and fined.
For forgery with the purpose of cheating, she could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
For falsifying accounts, she could be jailed for up to 10 years or fined, or both.
