SINGAPORE - A 33-year-old social service worker was convicted on Friday (Dec 9) of pocketing more than $340,000 from the Community Care Endowment Fund (ComCare) over three years, from Nov 2011 to Aug 2014.
Chia Kwang Hwee, who was entrusted with money meant for 42 low income and needy individuals and families, used about $130,000 to settle debts owed by him or his relatives.
He also gave out about $100,000 to relatives as gifts.
He spent the remaining $110,000 on luxury items for himself and his relatives, including expensive spa and hair salon packages, expensive meals, holidays and branded goods.
Chia pleaded guilty to 19 charges: two each of criminal breach of trust as a public servant and transferring criminal proceeds, and 15 of accessing a computer to commit criminal breach of trust.
Another 107 counts will be taken into account in sentencing as part of his plea bargain: one of criminal breach of trust, 28 each of transferring criminal proceeds and using criminal proceeds, and 50 of accessing a computer to commit criminal breach of trust.
The prosecution has asked for him to be jailed for six years, while Chia's lawyer asked for not more than 21/2 years' jail.
District Judge Lee Poh Choo will deliver sentence on Dec 22.
Chia worked as a manager with the South East Community Development Council (South East CDC), between June 2009 and June 2013.
Following a restructuring within ministries, hebecame a manager with the Social Service Office (SSO) at Geylang Serai, part of the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).
When he was at South East CDC and Geylang Serai SSO, Chia was responsible for disbursing monies from the ComCare to low income and needy individuals and families.
Between Jan 1, 2012 and Dec 31, 2013, he collected about 314 cheques worth $197,060, which had been issued by South East CDC or Geylang Serai SSO on behalf of beneficiaries.
Instead of handing them to the beneficiaries, Chia encashed them and deposited the money into his own bank account.
The cheques had been made out to "Cash" as the beneficiaries who were supposed to receive the cheques did not have bank accounts.
In November 2012, Chia also took on the additional role of team leader and was granted access rights to a computer system used to administer ComCare funds to beneficiaries.
He was granted system administrator rights and could also reset the passwords of other account users.
Between December 2013 and August 2014, Chia entered his own bank account details instead of beneficiaries' bank account details into the computer system.
He also misused his system administrator rights to reset the passwords of 15 other social service officers' accounts, and then used his colleagues' accounts to approve $67,100 in beneficiaries' payouts into his own account.
In total, Chia filched $343,780 from ComCare between November 2011 and August 2014.
He was suspended from duties on Aug 19, 2014, after his crimes were discovered.
Police have seized 21 branded luxury items worth nearly $30,000 from his home, which he had bought with criminal proceeds.
In a press release sent out immediately after Chia was charged on August 3, MSF said it was contacted by a beneficiary on Aug 14, 2014, who said that he had not been getting his payouts.
The ministry carried out an investigation, which pointed to an SSO team leader from its Geylang Serai office who was believed to have been pilfering funds. Money that was supposed to be transferred into the bank accounts of 26 ComCare beneficiaries was found to have gone into two bank accounts, one of which was Chia's payroll account.
MSF filed a police report the next day and suspended Chia. He was arrested three days later.
The ministry added that it had contacted all 42 affected beneficiaries immediately after the incident to ensure they got the help they needed.
In a Facebook post put up shortly after Chia was charged, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin said police investigated the matter with the ministry's full cooperation.
"MSF's priority is to ensure that Singaporeans and families in need continue to receive appropriate help in a responsive manner. However, we also need to ensure accountability and have thus thoroughly reviewed and strengthened our controls at the SSOs."
The ministry's internal auditor checked all the offices' payment records to confirm that there were no other similar cases. An independent review panel, consisting of senior officials from other government agencies, also probed the circumstances surrounding Chia's alleged misappropriation.
The MSF said it has implemented the panel's recommendations, which include strengthening access to IT systems and having more checks to ensure that payouts have been made.
Mr Tan added in his Facebook post: "Control measures can only go so far. It is ultimately our values that must guide us in all our actions to serve Singapore and Singaporeans with integrity and compassion.
"I am proud that many of our officers serve with passion and dedication. But the ministry will not condone or tolerate any conduct that undermines the integrity of our social assistance system and interest of our beneficiaries."
After the incident, MSF convened an independent review panel comprising senior officials from other government agencies to look into the checks and control mechanisms for financial assistance payments in all SSOs.
Recommendations include:
Strengthening the administration of access to MSF's IT system
Including additional checks to ensure payments to clients
Allocating cases to ensure no officer is allowed to take charge of a particular client for more than two consecutive years.
HOW CHIA SPENT THE MONEY
Air tickets
$3,647: Cathay Pacific Airways
$1,992: China Eastern Airlines
$1,418: SilkAir
$2,480: Thai Airways
Boutiques
$3,701: Club 21
$1,930: Mulberry
$5,465: Louis Vuitton
$3,500: Francis Cheong boutique
$1,500: Lane Crawford
$1,263: Ssense.com
$1,148: Christian Dior
Hotels
$1,000: Sheraton Towers
$2,047: W Hong Kong
Dining
$2,588: Chao Gang Cun Fine Dining
Grooming
$1,252: Jean Yip
