SINGAPORE - Five people from three companies were charged on Wednesday (Dec 11) after they allegedly made false claims and falsified documents to the former Workforce Development Agency (WDA), tricking it into issuing more than $72,000 in training grants over two years.

The police said in a statement that the employees of training providers Loyal Reliance and Image Institute of Learning, as well as Yoke Mah Plastercell which applied for the grants, conspired to cheat WDA.

The five people - who received various charges - were Chen Yuren Sebastian, 34; Patrick Ho Kok Wing, 56; Serene Loh Peh Wen, 47; Siew Hoong Hua, 45; and Marsh Terranova Tiruchellam, 52.

Three of the five charged told WDA that Yoke Mah had achieved full attendance in 13 courses conducted by Loyal Reliance and Image Institute in 2014 and 2015. One of these three as well as the remaining two charged falsified attendance records.

If found guilty of conspiring to cheat, they could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined. The offence of falsifying records carries with it a punishment of up to 10 years' jail, a fine, or both.