Ex-director inflated salaries, falsified payslips to get more grants
The former director of a private company in Singapore will be charged with multiple offences for defrauding the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore.
The Singapore Police Force said on Wednesday that it will be charging the 45-year-old man for multiple offences in relation to the Job Support Scheme (JSS).
The JSS is an effort introduced by the Singapore government in 2020 to provide wage support for employers so they can retain their local employees.
Under the scheme, the government co-funded 25% to 75% of the gross monthly wages paid to each local employee through cash grants to help enterprises.
The police accused the former director of cheating the IRAS into disbursing $5,150 of JSS grants by inflating the salaries of two employees in April 2020.
He also allegedly tried to cheat the IRAS into disbursing a further $33,719 by inflating the salaries of four employees for the months of May to August 2020.
This sum was allegedly withheld by the IRAS, which reviews "higher-risk cases" using data analytics and information to ensure the payouts were fairly and correctly distributed.
According to the police, the man allegedly falsified the payslips of the employees and submitted them to IRAS when he was asked to substantiate the salaries of employees.
He also purportedly instigated the employees to provide false information to IRAS officers regarding their salaries.
The police said it will charge the man with cheating, attempted cheating, falsification of accounts, and provision of false information to a public servant.
If convicted of cheating and attempted cheating, the man can face an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and a fine. If found guilty of falsification of accounts, he could face jail time of up to 10 years, or a fine, or both.
If convicted of providing false information to a public servant, he may face imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine, or both.
