'I want my $2.2 million back', says boss

[MarrickG]

SINGAPORE - She loved luxury goods so much that she stole from her former boss to purchase them, and although she has been sentenced to a 59-month jail term and declared a bankrupt, he still wants his $2.2 million back.

Former personal assistance Samantha Chiam was sued by her boss, Mr David Wu, in the High Court in August last year.

She had stolen $1.3 million from him between 2006 and 2009 by forging his signature on his personal cheques and used it to splurge on branded goods.

Chiam, who told her psychiatrist: "Without my branded goods, I am nothing", forged Mr Wu's signature on a cheque for US$500,000 (S$615,000), then shopped at luxury boutiques, spending at least $10,000 at Loui Vuitton and $30,000 at Chanel each time.

Chiam, 30, who is a mother of three young children, managed to amass an extravagant collection of branded goods, including 200 pairs of shoes, 80 bags, jewellery and luxury watches, reported The New Paper.

The Straits Times reported that Mr Wu, 38, obtained a court order to declare Chiam a bankrupt as she could not return the money. Chiam has since been convicted on nine counts of forgery, with 24 similar charges and one charge of converting benefits of criminal conduct was taken into consideration.

But Mr Wu, a Taiwanese who has lived in Singapore for 16 years and runs Triple Electronic, a Singapore-based firm which distributes electronic parts and has branches in Taiwan, the United States, Malaysia and China, told The Straits Times that he was not satisifed.

"In one year, she earns no more than $30,000. I got back close to $600,000 which she would have to work at least 2 years to earn.

She worked for me less than five years and took so much money. Who knows where she has kept the rest? When she gets out of jail, she can still enjoy it."

"I was understanding and lenient and yet she has shown no remorse or regret," he said.

Mr Wu trusted her to take care of his personal matters as he travelled often and made it clear the money she stole was from his personal account, not company funds.

"It's not a money issue. I'm very offended because she is not sorry.

"If she took the money for her family or kids, I can let it go. But it was to buy bags," said Mr Wu.

He also said that Chiam did not even say sorry.

"I will pursue this my whole life."

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