Woman jailed for forgery and embezzlement of company funds amounting to almost S$450,000
TODAY file photo
SINGAPORE — A woman who forged her ex-boyfriend’s signature to withdraw money from their joint bank accounts, and later embezzled money from her company to fund her lover’s gambling habits and their lavish lifestyles, was sentenced to 43 months in prison today (Jan 7).
Zuo Jing, a 30-year-old Singaporean who faced 28 charges for forgery, cheating, criminal breach of trust and cheating by impersonation, was given her jail sentence by District Judge Victor Yeo at the State Courts today.
Zuo was first charged in April 2013, when her ex-boyfriend Alvin Toh Chi Sian, 32, lodged a police report against her alleging that she had drafted an authorisation letter with his forged signature to withdraw money and close their three joint accounts with OCBC Bank.
In 2007, Zuo and Toh — who works as a chef — had opened a restaurant together. They later closed the restaurant after the relationship turned sour and they broke up. The duo then filed a civil suit against each other to divide the remaining money in their three OCBC joint bank accounts.
In March 2012, Zuo drafted an authorisation letter, on which she forged Toh’s signature, and used it to close the three bank accounts, while withdrawing a sum of S$46,317.77.
She was found out and charged in court for forgery and cheating by impersonation. However, before she was scheduled to plead guilty in court, she was slapped with further charges for criminal breach of trust and cheating, by conspiracy.
In April 2013, Zuo and a Singaporean man named Ivan Lim Chin Ping, 30, became lovers. Lim had a gambling addiction and constantly pressured Zuo for money to fund his habits. She also paid for his car insurance and road tax, and gave him money to repay his debts and for shopping.
In late 2013, the duo decided to use cheques meant for payment to vendors contracted by Riverton Group (S) Pte Ltd — the company Zuo worked in, which imports sea sand into Singapore — for their personal gain. At that time, Zuo, who worked in the finance department, was solely in charge of preparing cheques for the vendors.
Apart from misappropriating the cheques meant for vendors, Zuo would also deceive the company’s signatories into signing cheques even when payment was not required. Lim would then help cash in the cheques and the couple would spend the money through gambling, shopping for luxury items, eating at fancy restaurants, and a trip to Europe.
In total, the amount cheated and misappropriated by Zuo amounted to S$449,011.51, and no restitution has been made. Out of the 28 charges against her, the court proceeded on 10, while the other 18 were taken into consideration. Lim, who has been charged, is yet to be dealt with by the court.
