SINGAPORE: A woman is accused of tricking another person into believing she had died to obtain about S$160,000 (US$118,800) for supposed burial and legal fees.
Dionne-Edna Lin Lilian, a 39-year-old Singaporean, had a further mention of her case in the State Courts on Friday (Feb 16).
She faces four charges – two of cheating and two of posing as Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc) representatives under the Legal Profession Act.
Lin is accused of deceiving a woman named Chow Chou Fun into believing that Lin had died sometime around Jan 7, 2019. It is unclear at this early stage of proceedings what their relation is, if any.
Lin then asked for money to cover burial costs and tricked Ms Chow into handing over a sum of S$6,350.
At around the same time, Lin allegedly posed as a person called Daslin Ang from the Legal Aid Bureau of LawSoc – from Feb 20, 2019, to Mar 18, 2019.
Lin is accused of continuing to deceive Ms Chow into believing she had died.
In the course of about 47 occasions between Jan 11, 2019, and Jun 8, 2019, Lin purportedly convinced Ms Chow that there was an inheritance for her in Lin’s will.
She then allegedly tricked Ms Chow into handing over a total of S$153,125 to her to pay supposed legal processing fees that would allow Ms Chow to receive the inheritance.
At around that time, between May 27, 2019, and Jun 10, 2019, Lin also posed as a Phil Tong from LawSoc’s Legal Aid Bureau, charges state.
Lin’s case was adjourned for a pre-trial conference in March.
If convicted of cheating, she could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
For posing as a LawSoc representative, she faces up to six months’ jail, a fine of up to S$25,000, or both if it is her first offence.
Repeat offenders face double the penalties.