Jail for woman who pretended to be lawyer and cheated others of S$62,000
SINGAPORE: A lady claimed to be a attorney and cheated her acquaintances into supplying her far more than S$62,000 for “lawful services” or positions at a reputed agency.
Siti Suhailal Halil, 28, was sentenced to two years’ jail on Friday (Jan 6).
She pleaded guilty to three expenses of cheating, with a further three fees taken into thing to consider.
The court docket read that Siti cheated her then-boyfriend’s mom, a 52-12 months-aged girl, above nearly two decades.
She lied to the more mature woman in December 2017 that she was a law firm, knowing that the latter necessary authorized aid for Central Provident Fund concerns and an ongoing divorce.
Siti lied that she would be capable to give legal support – in spite of not becoming a experienced attorney – in exchange for specified service fees.
Between December 2017 and September 2019, the more mature girl transferred dollars to Siti above 126 situations for “authorized products and services” these as paperwork, court purposes and legal session arrangements.
Among January 2018 and December 2018, the more mature woman transferred S$27,980 to Siti’s bank account.
When the more mature girl confronted Siti for evidence of the purported legal services, Siti bought her to continue earning the transfers by saying that failure to pay out the authorized service fees would consequence in a good or arrest.
Eventually, the older lady confronted Siti in Oct 2019 and asked for evidence that she was a attorney. When Siti was unable to do so, the target lodged a law enforcement report.
When under investigation, Siti cheated her husband’s friend, a 28-year-outdated person, by proclaiming she could get him a career at Dentons Rodyk law agency.
Siti claimed she was doing work there as a attorney, whilst she was neither an employee there nor a experienced attorney.
Siti lied to the victim that he would to start with have to complete selected authorized and administration classes with Kaplan Singapore and Exena Understanding Hub.
She requested the gentleman for income for course enrolment expenses, and he transferred her S$32,460 concerning December 2021 and March 2022.
The person grew suspicious as he did not obtain any bill or receipt, and contacted the legislation organization close to April 2022.
He was explained to that there was no a single by the accused’s title employed there.
He also contacted Kaplan, who explained to him there was no report of his enrolment. He later on lodged a police report.
Siti also cheated yet another victim, a 28-calendar year-outdated acquaintance, by employing the same premise of a job at Dentons Rodyk.
He transferred her S$one,680 to her bank account in April 2022.
Siti utilised the revenue from her crimes on her possess fees and to fork out off debts.
She later on built restitution of S$one,900 to her ex-boyfriend’s mom and S$1,600 to her husband’s buddy.
SHE WAS UNFAZED: PROSECUTOR
The prosecutor sought 24 months to 28 months’ jail, expressing that Siti was “unfazed” despite figuring out she was becoming investigated and ongoing to offend.
She also created only partial restitution, said the prosecutor.
Siti, who was remanded, pleaded for a lighter sentence, expressing she has a daughter and “fiscal scarcity”.
“I wish for a lighter sentence, I am actually remorseful,” she claimed, incorporating that she wanted to pay back the victims again some funds just after serving her sentence.
The decide questioned if she has been properly trained as a attorney, and Siti reported she concluded a diploma in legal reports at Kaplan.
“A single of the ideas of sentencing is the offender and his loved ones need to facial area the repercussions,” explained the judge in response.
He extra that if any reimbursement to the victims was to be taken into thing to consider, it experienced to be designed in advance of the sentence was meted out.
