On May 5, 2022, 11 people aged 28 to 65 were accused in court in connection with suspected attempts to gain funds under the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) through fraud. Three of these people are also facing similar charges in relation to the COVID-19 Support Grant (CSG) and the Temporary Relief Fund (TRF).
During the COVID-19 epidemic, the government developed three financial assistance programmes. The JSS, which was administered by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (“IRAS”), provided pay support to firms in order for them to retain their local workers.
The JSS, which was administered by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (“IRAS”), provided pay support to firms in order for them to retain their local workers. IRAS performed examinations of higher risk cases utilizing data analytics and information offered by the public to guarantee that JSS rewards were distributed fairly and accurately.
It reduced or rejected JSS payments to employers who could not prove their eligibility. Cases that are egregious, such as those accused of submitting fake documents to IRAS, will be submitted to the Police.
SPA owners
Gay Kah Leong and Tan Zhong Lin, Deidrea of Kings Spa SG Pte Ltd were charged with allegedly attempting to cheat IRAS into disbursing a JSS pay-out of approximately $50,000 in respect of 36 individuals who did not perform work or receive salaries as declared. The duo, together with seven other individuals, were also charged with alleged involvement in falsifying the employment contracts and payslips submitted to IRAS and/or furnishing false information.
Gay Kah Leong and two other individuals were also charged with allegedly cheating or attempting to cheat the MSF into disbursing CSG and TRF grants when they did not suffer job loss or income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Separately, Teoh Wong Har of TK Manufacturing and Wholesale Centre (a sole proprietorship) and Wong Lai Kook of Double Ace Associates Pte Ltd were charged with allegedly attempting to cheat IRAS into disbursing JSS pay-outs in respect of individuals who were either not employed or who did not perform the work as declared. The pay-outs would have amounted to approximately $15,000.
Penalties：
- For each offence of Cheating they can be imprisonment of up to 10 years, and liability to pay a fine;
- For each offence of Falsification of Accounts can face imprisonment of up to 10 years, or a fine, or both;
- For each offence of Furnishing False Information can be imprisonment of up to three years, or a fine, or both;
- For each offence of Furnishing False Information imprisonment of up to two years, or a fine, or both.