Unauthorised Exchanges Revealed

Those who offer or accept illicit benefits in return for disregarding their employer’s policies would face charges for corruption. Eight former employees of Micro 2000 Technology Pte Ltd who bypassed their employer’s policy with regard to the exchange of iPhones, found out the hard way when they were charged with corruption. Six of them, who were charged on 30 August 2016, have pleaded guilty to their charges and were sentenced on 15 September 2016. The remaining two were charged on 14 October 2016.

2. On 20 October 2016, Yeo Jingyuan, a former team leader overseeing customer service officers in Micro 2000 Technology Pte Ltd, will face the following charges:

i. Forty-eight counts of corruptly giving gratification amounting to $257,280 to two former team leaders, Ng Jun Siang and Tan Kim Chong Tony, as a reward to refrain from reporting to the Senior Management of Micro 2000 Technology, the Customer Service Officers’ non-compliance with the company’s Standard Operating Procedures on the exchange of customers’ iPhones handsets for replacement handsets, an offence punishable under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241.

ii. Seventy counts of corruptly giving gratification amounting to $17,650 to four former employees (Toh Ean Seng, Pan Junwen Mervin, Lim Shao Lun and Tan Jianwei) of Micro 2000 Technology as a reward to disregard the company’s Standard Operating Procedures concerning the exchange of customers’ iPhones handsets for replacement handsets, an offence punishable under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241.

iii. Two counts of corruptly offering gratification to two former employees (Tan Jingren and Soh Geok Hong Jackson) of Micro 2000 Technology as an inducement to disregard the company’s Standard Operating Procedures concerning the exchange of customers’ iPhones handsets for replacement handsets, an offence punishable under Section 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241.

iv. One count of conspiring together with one Da Lian to give corrupt gratifications amounting to at least $168,000 to former employees of Micro 2000 Technology as a reward to disregard their company’s Standard Operating Procedure and to refrain from reporting the act to the Senior Management (of Micro 2000 Technology), an offence under Section 6(b) read with Section 31 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 241.

v. One count of concealing a sum of $126,990 (which were the benefits from a criminal conspiracy), by withdrawing the said sum from DBS bank account 006-105-6219 to prevent it from being frozen by law enforcement officers, an offence under Section 47(1)(a) punishable under Section 47(6)(a) of the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (Cap. 65A)

3. Singapore adopts a zero tolerance approach towards corruption. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau takes a serious view of any corrupt practices, and will not hesitate to take action against any party involved in such acts.

Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau