PUBLISHED ONOctober 30, 2015 10:30 PMByRonald Loh
SINGAPORE - While waiting to be sentenced for 12 cheating offences, the serial cheat struck again.
He took home a cheque for $8,900 belonging to his employer and forged it so that the money would be paid to his wife.
The following year, after his release from prison, he misappropriated $18,000 from his next employer.
He then tried to leave the country - even though his passport had been impounded - by lying to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) so he could get a replacement.
Yesterday, Goh Jun Jie, 28, was sentenced to 18 months' jail for his latest offences.
In 2010, he was fined $2,000 for committing criminal breach of trust and in June 2014, he was convicted of 12 cheating offences.
But while out on bail pending sentencing, the accounts executive took home the $8,900 cheque belonging to Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort and Spa on July 2.
He then forged the cheque by removing the original payee's name and replacing it with that of his wife's, Chinese national Li Hanshu. They cashed the forged cheque the next day and split the money.
In August, Goh was sentenced to six months' jail for his earlier cheating offences.
While he was in jail, his former employer made a police report against him for the cheque forgery.
EMBEZZLE
After his release in December, Goh started work as a cinema manager at Shaw Theatres Lido and embezzled $18,000 from his new employer.
He was arrested on May 30 this year after returning from Chengdu, China, where his wife is currently living.
His passport was impounded and he was barred from leaving Singapore pending police investigations of the forgery report against him.
But on June 8, he went to the ICA and falsely claimed that he had lost his passport in a taxi.
After collecting his replacement passport the same day, he went to Changi Airport and was arrested by ICA officers when he tried to leave the country.
Yesterday, Goh pleaded guilty to one count each of forgery for the Rasa Sentosa cheque offence and of making a false statement for the passport offence.
Another charge of criminal breach of trust for the $18,000 embezzlement was taken into consideration for sentencing.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Alexander Woon said Goh had exhibited a "complete lack of remorse" and blatant disregard for the law.
This article was first published on Oct 29, 2015.
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