On 24 February 2023, Lim De Xian (“Lim”), a 33-year-old male Singapore Permanent Resident, was convicted of cheating offences involving the Professional Conversion Programmes (“PCP”) offered by Workforce Singapore (“WSG”) and administered by the Singapore National Employers Federation (“SNEF”), a programme partner appointed by WSG.
PCPs help mid-career professionals, managers, executives and technicians undergo skills conversion and move into new occupations or sectors with opportunities for progression.[1] The grant pay-outs include course fee subsidies and a salary support grant which was computed based on the employee’s monthly salary.
At the material time, Lim was the sole-director and shareholder of 7W Consultancy Pte Ltd (“7W Consultancy”). Lim pleaded guilty to conspiring with Xu Shaowen (“Xu”), a general manager and shareholder of 7W Consultancy, in December 2017, to submit for Xu a fraudulent application to SNEF for funding under the PCP. The duo had falsely declared in Xu’s PCP application form that his gross monthly salary from 7W Consultancy was $5,800, and thereby deceived SNEF into disbursing the PCP funding amounting to $13,995. Full restitution has since been made to WSG.
In April 2018, Lim conspired with Xu to submit another fraudulent application to SNEF for PCP funding for an employee of 7W Consultancy. At the material time, the employee was an information technology manager and a shareholder of 7W Consultancy. In pursuance of this conspiracy, Xu falsely declared in the PCP application form that the employee’s gross monthly salary was $5,600. No disbursement was made by SNEF for this application as the application was subsequently withdrawn.
For his involvement in these offences, Lim has been convicted on two counts of abetment by conspiracy to cheat under Section 417 read with Section 109, and Section 417 read with Section 116 of the Penal Code respectively, and sentenced to 12 weeks’ imprisonment. Two other charges have been taken into consideration for the purpose of sentencing. His co-accused Xu was earlier sentenced on 9 November 2022 to 13 weeks’ imprisonment for his involvement in this case.[2]
The Police take a serious stance against the abuse of Government grants. Offenders will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.
[1] The PCP was rebranded as the Career Conversion Programmes (“CCPs”) in 2021.
[2] See earlier Police News Release dated 9 November 2022.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
09 March 2023 @ 9:50 AM