Maid withdraws $86k from employer's bank account to fund gambling addiction, pawns jewellery

To fund her gambling addiction, a domestic helper in Singapore allegedly stole $86,000 from her employer within a period of eight months and pawned seven pieces of gold jewellery worth $20,368.

She was sentenced to 20 months' jail for her crimes, after being charged with one count of criminal breach of trust and one count of theft, Shin Min Daily News reported on Saturday (Jan 17).

According to Shin Min, the court heard that in May 2024, the 42-year-old defendant, a Myanmar national, was entrusted with an ATM card and pin number by her 75-year-old employer.

The helper was told that she could use the ATM card to withdraw $2,000 every month for groceries and basic needs. She would also help to withdraw funds whenever the employer wanted to travel to Johor Bahru.

Later that year, the employer allowed her an advance of $10,000 on her salary. She was earning around $700 to $800 a month at the time, Shin Min reported.

However, between December 2024 and July 2025, the defendant illicitly withdrew $2,000 on 43 occasions, amounting to $86,000 in total.

To cover up her misdeeds, the helper would only make the withdrawals when the employer was asleep. She would also use the employer's mobile phone to delete notifications from the bank about the withdrawals.

On the one occasion where she did not manage to delete the notification and was discovered, she promised her employer that she would not do it again, but later reneged on the promise.

In addition, the court heard that between January and June 2025, the defendant also stole seven pieces of gold jewellery while the employer was asleep and pawned them for cash.

She was aware that her employer kept gold jewellery in a drawer which was left unlocked. She knew that the jewellery was seldom worn, and would steal only one piece at a time to avoid being detected, reported Shin Min.

According to the Chinese evening daily, a friend of the employer subsequently discovered the illicit withdrawals and found out that the helper was missing. Worried that she may try to escape, the friend called the police on July 11.

When the friend arrived at the employer's home that day, she discovered the maid with her luggage and passport in hand at the lift landing.

Police also found $2,000 in cash on her, which she admitted was her employer's.

During police investigations, the maid admitted that she had a gambling addiction and committed the acts to fund her habit.

In mitigation, the defendant, who was unrepresented, spoke through a translator, expressing remorse and blaming her gambling addiction for her actions. 

She added that not all the stolen funds were gambled away, and some had been remitted to her family.

candicecai@asiaone.com