IP addresses are NOT logged in this forum so there's no point asking. Please note that this forum is full of homophobes, racists, lunatics, schizophrenics & absolute nut jobs with a smattering of geniuses, Chinese chauvinists, Moderate Muslims and last but not least a couple of "know-it-alls" constantly sprouting their dubious wisdom. If you believe that content generated by unsavory characters might cause you offense PLEASE LEAVE NOW! Sammyboy Admin and Staff are not responsible for your hurt feelings should you choose to read any of the content here. The OTHER forum is HERE so please stop asking.
Updated: 07/30/2013 20:21 | By Channel NewsAsia
Ex-director pleads guilty to cheating 28 people of S$6.6m
SINGAPORE: A former director of a travel agency pleaded guilty on Tuesday to offences related to cheating and criminal breach of trust involving more than S$6.6 million.
The court heard that 33-year-old Brenda Ng Lay Yen cheated 28 people of the money between 2009 and 2012.
She told them that she was engaged in various investments in which they stood to make high profits if they invested with her.
These sham investments were related to diamonds, oil, Universal Studios tickets and memberships, and plane tickets.
Ng would then tell the victims she needed more assistance in the various investments, thus causing them to recruit their families and friends as "investors".
The victims were deceived into parting with large sums of cash.
Ng would then give them sums of money -- which she claimed were the “profits” -- in order to get them to continue investing.
She issued them personal cheques, company cheques and third-party cheques as a form of "security" on the investments, and told them they could cash the cheques at a later date to receive the profits.
However, when they tried to do so, they found the banks did not honour the cheques for reasons that included the bank accounts being closed.
The court also heard that Ng had placed ads in the local newspapers to sell flight tickets and tour packages, using the names of other travel agencies as a front.
When customers bought these packages and paid her, she then misappropriated the money -- for example, by using it to repay other victims for purchases they made with her, or for debts she had accumulated.
Ng, who is currently in remand, has made repayments of about S$2.3 million.
Ng also pleaded guilty to theft and forgery charges.
She had stolen cheque books belonging to her sister and brother-in-law, as well as forged their signatures on the cheques -- which would then be given to some of the victims as "security".
In total, Ng faced 75 charges -- 25 were proceeded on, and the remaining 50 were taken into consideration.
Her lawyer asked for the case to be adjourned to prepare her mitigation.
Ng will be back in court for sentencing on August 23. - CNA/nd
Khushwant Singh
The Straits Times
Friday, Aug 02, 2013
SINGAPORE - She ran a travel agency, but Brenda Ng Lay Yen sold more than just package holidays.
The 33-year-old pocketed around $6.6 million after persuading her customers to join dodgy "investment schemes" involving diamonds, oil and even theme park tickets.
On Tuesday, she pleaded guilty to cheating, theft, criminal breach of trust and forging cheques.
A district court heard the travel firm director started her crime spree in September 2009.
She convinced her victims - some of whom were her friends - to part with their money by promising them very high returns.
To entice them to pump in more cash, she paid them what she claimed were profits.
Ng would also issue personal cheques to reassure them that their money was in safe hands.
But when her victims tried to cash them at the banks, they were told the accounts had all been closed.
When the "profits" dried up, they went to the police.
Ng lay low when investigations started in May 2010.
However, she went back to her crooked ways a year later, stealing her younger sister's cheque book and using it to withdraw $58,820.
She continued until she was arrested in January last year, and has been in custody ever since.
Ng is no longer working in the travel business.
She has managed to repay only $2.3million of the money she pocketed.
The former director could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined on each count of cheating and forgery when she is sentenced on Aug 23.
The maximum punishment for theft is seven years behind bars and a fine
SINGAPORE: A travel agency director has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for cheating and related offences worth over S$6.6 million.
Brenda Ng Lay Yen admitted to 75 offences including cheating, theft and forgery of valuable security.
Between September 2009 and May 2010, the 33-year-old deceived multiple victims into delivering monies.
Between May 2011 and January 2012, she went on to commit cheating and criminal breach of trust offences against another group of victims.
To facilitate these crimes, Ng stole a cheque book and committed forgery by signing those cheques.
There were 28 victims in total.
Ng would approach the victims and tell them she was engaged in various investments -- including in diamonds, oil and Universal Studio tickets, where investors reaped high profits.
The accused, a director of Boutique Holiday, also issued personal, company and third-party cheques to victims as a form of "security" on the investments.
She would tell the victims that they would be able to cash out the cheques at a later date to receive the profits, but the cheques would bounce.
In sentencing, District Judge Soh Tze Bian said there were several aggravating factors, namely that multiple victims involved and the amount was large.
But he noted that restitution of some S$2.3 million was made.
Going by Ng's mode of operation, the judge said she was a habitual offender and that she committed some of the offences while on court bail.
The judge noted that the accused committed the first set of offences when she was introduced to gambling by her boyfriend.
But he pointed out that Ng was the one who chose to turn to crime. - CNA/gn
