Home > Breaking News > Singapore > Story
Aug 19, 2009
Pocketed US embassy cash
By Sujin Thomas
Hasrinah Hassan (left), 35, pocketed various sums of money over six years, totalling US$488,954 ($709,935.67) through fraudulent refunds of consular fees which were paid to the US government. --PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
A FORMER consular cashier at the US Embassy wanted money to renovate her flat, cover her partying expenses and other extravagances.
So Hasrinah Hassan, 35, pocketed various sums of money over six years, totalling US$488,954 ($709,935.67) through fraudulent refunds of consular fees which were paid to the US government.
These fees were for the settlement of visas, passports and other services and Hasrinah's job was to ensure that they were properly accounted for.
An embassy staff member made a police report on April 2 when discrepancies on processed refunds emerged .
On Wednesday, Hasrinah, 35, was jailed six years in a district court for three charges of criminal breach of trust.
According to court documents, Hasrinah's first foray into fraudulent activities began in early 2003 when her ex-husband Jamsari Atan - who worked as a visa officer with American Express Travel - asked her to illegally refund US$100 for his customer's visa.
After much persuasion, Hasrinah agreed to do so without obtaining authorisation from a consular officer, as required by her job. Jamsari then pocketed the money.
He came back a month later, asking her to do the same and she complied.
Thinking she could get away with pocketing money on a regular basis, she did it two or three times a month. As time went by, this frequency increased, as did the amount she took.
The money was used to renovate her Woodlands flat and to pay for trips to Bangkok, Australia, Japan and the United States with Jamsari and her family. She also spent on car accessories for Jamsani and bought high-end cosmetics, perfumes, branded handbags and mobile phones.
From January to December last year alone, she misappropriated US$137,609.
During the course of the investigation, police seized - besides cash and other items - a Prada bag and a Louis Vuitton wristlet bag.
Aug 19, 2009
Pocketed US embassy cash
By Sujin Thomas
A FORMER consular cashier at the US Embassy wanted money to renovate her flat, cover her partying expenses and other extravagances.
So Hasrinah Hassan, 35, pocketed various sums of money over six years, totalling US$488,954 ($709,935.67) through fraudulent refunds of consular fees which were paid to the US government.
These fees were for the settlement of visas, passports and other services and Hasrinah's job was to ensure that they were properly accounted for.
An embassy staff member made a police report on April 2 when discrepancies on processed refunds emerged .
On Wednesday, Hasrinah, 35, was jailed six years in a district court for three charges of criminal breach of trust.
According to court documents, Hasrinah's first foray into fraudulent activities began in early 2003 when her ex-husband Jamsari Atan - who worked as a visa officer with American Express Travel - asked her to illegally refund US$100 for his customer's visa.
After much persuasion, Hasrinah agreed to do so without obtaining authorisation from a consular officer, as required by her job. Jamsari then pocketed the money.
He came back a month later, asking her to do the same and she complied.
Thinking she could get away with pocketing money on a regular basis, she did it two or three times a month. As time went by, this frequency increased, as did the amount she took.
The money was used to renovate her Woodlands flat and to pay for trips to Bangkok, Australia, Japan and the United States with Jamsari and her family. She also spent on car accessories for Jamsani and bought high-end cosmetics, perfumes, branded handbags and mobile phones.
From January to December last year alone, she misappropriated US$137,609.
During the course of the investigation, police seized - besides cash and other items - a Prada bag and a Louis Vuitton wristlet bag.
