Serious [ Singapore News ] Singaporeans Are You Changing Money ? Beware of Indian Money Changer : Typical Cunning Indian Snake Cheating Employer SGD $500,000

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https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...oyee-jailed-for-absconding-with-almost-500000

Money-changer employee jailed for absconding with almost $500,000

Indian national Bahurudeen Kuthpudeen, 44, was jailed for 3 1/2 years after pleading guilty to his offences, on Sept 24, 2018. PHOTO: ST FILE

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Shaffiq Idris Alkhatib


SINGAPORE - A business development manager, who received three cash cheques from his employer, fled to Malaysia after he encashed them and pocketed almost $500,000.

Indian national Bahurudeen Kuthpudeen, 44, was jailed for 3 1/2 years on Monday (Sept 24) after pleading guilty to one count each of criminal breach of trust and removing from Singapore the benefits of his criminal conduct.

The court heard that his employer A M Mohamed Farook, who operates Mohamed Thahir Exchange in Collyer Quay, signed three cash cheques for a total amount of $469,900 at around 3pm on March 27 this year. The cheques were meant to be encashed for the purchase of foreign currencies.

He handed the cheques to an employee known only as Babu, who passed them to Bahurudeen.

The business development manager then encashed the cheques at an RHB Bank branch in nearby Cecil Street.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Melissa Ng said: "Instead of returning to the company, the accused left Singapore via the Woodlands checkpoint bus hall at 4.46pm."

When his colleagues failed to find him, they alerted Mr A M Mohamed. He tried to contact Bahurudeen on his mobile phone but received a ring tone that is usually heard in overseas calls. He then made a police report.

DPP Ng told District Judge Luke Tan that Bahurudeen was later detained at the border of Kedah when he attempted to leave Malaysia for Thailand. Cash totalling almost $24,000 was found in his possession and seized.

The Straits Times had earlier reported that officers from the Royal Malaysia Police arrested Bahurudeen on March 28 - a day after he encashed the cheques - and he was sent back to Singapore on March 29.

Lawyer Siraj Shaik Aziz, who was assigned to the case under the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, said that $458,652 of the misappropriated amount has been recovered.

Mr Siraj added that his client was his family's sole breadwinner. His wife had stayed home in India to look after their 13-year-old daughter who has a disability in her hand.

Stressing that Bahurudeen is "genuinely remorseful", the lawyer told the court : "It was financial difficulties brought on by the need to service a loan for his daughter's hand operation that prompted the commission of the offences in a momentary lapse of judgment."

Topics:

• SINGAPORE COURTS
• CRIME

 

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https://sg.news.yahoo.com/moneychan...ng-nearly-half-million-dollars-120358055.html

Moneychanger staff jailed 3.5 years for absconding with nearly half a million dollars

Amir Hussain
Yahoo News Singapore 24 September 2018

Bahurudeen Kuthpudeen, 44, pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal breach of trust as a servant and one count of removing the benefits of criminal conduct from the country. (Getty file photo)

A manager at a local moneychanging business who absconded to Malaysia with nearly half a million dollars was jailed for three-and-a-half years on Monday (24 September).

Bahurudeen Kuthpudeen, 44, pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal breach of trust as a servant and one count of removing the benefits of criminal conduct from the country.

The court heard that Bahurudeen worked for Mohamed Thahir Exchange at Collyer Quay. The company often required cash to buy foreign currencies.

On 27 March, at about 3pm, the owner of the firm, A M Mohamed Farook, signed three cash cheques for $469,900 in total and passed them to an employee to buy foreign currencies.

Shortly after, the employee handed the cheques to Bahurudeen, who left the firm at about 3.15pm for the RHB bank branch in Cecil Street.

There, he handed the cheques over to another company staff to withdraw the cash. Bahurudeen then took the cash and updated his company that the money had been collected.

As per company policy, another employee went to the bank to escort Bahurudeen back. But instead of waiting for the employee and returning to his company, Bahurudeen headed for Woodlands Checkpoint and fled across the Causeway via a bus at about 4.45pm.

His employer made a police report at about 5.10pm.

Bahurudeen passed $430,000 of the stolen cash to a friend in Malaysia, telling him that he would return for the money in two days’ time.

But Bahurudeen was caught by Malaysian police the next day at the Kedah border in northern Malaysia as he was trying to head to Thailand.

He had $23,652 and 701 Malaysian ringgit with him. He was extradited to Singapore a day later.

Bahurudeen’s friend came to know of the arrest and returned the $430,000 cash to the company.

The maximum penalty for criminal breach of trust as a servant is 15 years’ jail and a fine. The maximum punishment for removing stolen property from the country is a fine of up to $500,000 and up to 10 years’ jail.