SINGAPORE: A man in charge of running the Kopitiam stores in three malls was given access to a sizable sum of money, but he kept S$ 149, 800 ( US$ 112, 700 ) for his gambling habit.
Kelvin Lam Choon Huat, 36, admitted guilt to one count of unlawful breach of trust by deceptive theft while working and was given a 21-month prison term on January 4.
In July 2021, the gentleman started working for Kopitiam Investment as an area boss.
He oversaw the functions of the Kopitiam locations at Tampines One, Changi City Point, and Tampin Mall. He was also on call commitment as the supervisor there on a regular basis.
He was tasked with collecting all the money profits from the barn users, the coffee stand, and the Kopitiam Card top-up shops when he was the manager on work at Tampines Mall.
In order to show that the funds had been cashed in, he was required to report the total amount collected in the bank’s computer program, cover the cash in four separate bags, deposit it into the bank account, and record bank deposit slips.
Lam was listed as the boss on responsibility for Tampines Mall’s Kopitiam outlet between Dec 26, 2021 and Jan 6, 2022.
He was in charge of depositing S$ 272, 101.45 into the bank accounts of the business.
SET APART MONEY BAGS FOR HIMSELF DAILY
However, instead of putting the money sacks in the company’s safe, he stole about S$ 146,000 from this amount by keeping two to three luggage each day.
According to the judge, he did this mainly to pay for his personal expenses and his gambling habit.
Therefore, Lam would loan one or two of the cash bags into the bank’s bank accounts, but to give the impression that all four cash bags had been deposited, he did complete in and examine four deposit slips in the computer system.
In addition to taking the money, he also stole about S$ 3, 975 from the bank’s protected cash fly, totaling S$ 149, 788.50 in embezzlement.
The banking division of the business sent an email to Lam’s reporting officer on January 7, 2022, detailing the funds Lam was rumored to have deposited between December 26, 2021, and January 6, 2023.
According to the finance office, the entire amount specified on the deposit slip had not yet been completely credited into the company’s bank accounts.
When Lam’s reporting agent texted him to inquire as to why the money had not yet been credited, Lam responded that he had “due to a misunderstanding,” according to court records.
When confronted, Lam took the roughly S$ 110,500 he had stored in the company secure and deposited it into the bank accounts of the business.
He was unable to fulfill the company’s request for full reparation by January 31, 2022. Kopitiam even turned down Lam’s offer to pay S$ 5, 000 up front and then S$ 3, 000 every month.
As of close January 2022, the firm informed the police of the situation, and Lam stopped working for Kopitiam.
According to similar situations, the prosecutors sought 22 to 26 months in jail for Lam.  ,
Instead, defense attorney Justin Ng of Kalco Law requested a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison, claiming that his lawyer’s “recent gambling addiction” had driven him to undertake the current offense out of desperation.
Mr. Ng claimed that Lam “deeply regrets” betraying the trust that his previous employer had placed in him and that he had already written a letter of private apology.
Lam is also committed to turning a new leaf and seeking counseling for his gaming addiction in order to assist him better understand the underlying causes.
The attorney submitted letters confirming his ordinary attendance at support groups and mentioning his involvement in a community service for the underprivileged and old.
On February 13, Lam was given permission to start his prison sentence.
He could have been fined and served up to 15 years in prison for a criminal breach of trust committed by an individual.