A durian stall employee who admitted stealing more than S$17,000 from his employer before losing the entire amount at a casino has been sentenced to five months in jail.
The case has attracted additional attention after it emerged that the offender is the younger brother of Malaysian singer-songwriter DIOR Dayin, whose real name is Tan Jiaying. The singer had publicly spoken about her brother’s gambling problems years before the latest offence came to light.
The 26-year-old man pleaded guilty to criminal breach of trust after taking cash entrusted to him while working at a durian business in Bukit Batok.
Sister Previously Issued Public Warning
Following news of the conviction, social media users resurfaced a lengthy post made by the singer in 2024, where she detailed the difficulties her family allegedly faced due to her brother’s gambling addiction.
According to the singer, the problem began when he was still a teenager and gradually worsened over the years. She claimed his debts eventually ballooned from relatively small amounts to hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
The singer alleged that family members repeatedly stepped in to help him clear his debts, believing he would change. However, she said those efforts were unsuccessful as he repeatedly returned to gambling.
In the emotional post, she urged members of the public not to lend him money under any circumstances, claiming he had repeatedly broken promises and misled people around him.
Family Allegedly Endured Years Of Financial Stress
The singer also described the emotional and financial toll the situation allegedly had on her family.
She claimed her brother had borrowed money from loan sharks, causing relatives to fear possible harassment. She further alleged that valuables belonging to family members, including gold jewellery, were pawned to fund his gambling activities.
Among the accusations were claims that sentimental belongings left behind by their late mother had also been taken and sold.
The singer said she once went to great lengths to help him start over, including seeking employment opportunities overseas through friends and helping him relocate. Despite those efforts, she claimed he eventually returned to gambling.
According to her, the decision to publicly share details about the situation was made after learning that her brother had allegedly approached not only relatives and friends but also some of her supporters for money.
Trusted With Safe Access During Supervisor’s Leave
Court documents revealed that the latest offence occurred at a durian stall located in Bukit Batok.
During the Chinese New Year period earlier this year, the stall supervisor went on leave and entrusted the employee with additional responsibilities. For the first time, he was given access to the passcode of the business’s safe.
As he was the only employee with knowledge of the code, he had unrestricted access to the cash stored inside.
Investigations showed that he took S$1,000 from the safe during his first theft. Two days later, he returned and removed a further S$16,300, bringing the total amount stolen to S$17,300.
Entire Sum Lost At Marina Bay Sands Casino
After taking the money, the man reportedly headed to the casino at Marina Bay Sands.
Court records stated that he intended to use gambling winnings to settle debts owed to moneylenders. Instead, he lost the entire amount.
The stolen funds were never recovered.
The case serves as another reminder of the devastating impact gambling addiction can have on individuals and their families, often leading to financial hardship, broken relationships and criminal behaviour.
Following his guilty plea, the court sentenced him to five months’ imprisonment.