SINGAPORE - A former pawnshop director accused of misappropriating more than $5 million from his then workplace faced 23 charges on Tuesday (June 16) for offences, including those related to criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts.

Li Yong De, who used to work for Sin Lian Pawnshop, appeared in court via video-link from the Central Police Division.

The 34-year-old Singaporean is accused of embarking on his crime spree around June 2013 while working for another firm, Prestige Watches & Jewellery, where he allegedly misappropriated 30 watches worth $200,000 in total.

He later worked for Sin Lian Pawnshop and allegedly misappropriated more than $5.4 million in cash from the firm from June 2013 to July 2018.

Li is also accused of making false entries in the company's electronic records on more than 1,000 occasions between July 2013 and July 2018.

Police said in a statement on Monday that Li allegedly caused unauthorised cash cheques to be drawn from the firm's bank account.

They added: "To give the false impression that the cash cheque withdrawals were legitimate, he created fake pawn tickets not backed by pledges and falsified corresponding entries in the company's database.

"The man allegedly used the misappropriated funds to gamble at the casinos, service the interest payments for the monthly renewals of the fake pawn tickets and make dividends distribution to shareholders of the company."

Between 2014 and 2018, Li is said to have used the benefits of his alleged criminal conduct totalling more than $106,000 to pay for four watches and the down payment of a Mercedes-Benz car.

He is also accused of giving false information to the Registrar of Pawnbrokers on multiple occasions in 2017 and 2018.

Li was offered bail of $250,000 on Tuesday and his case will be up for a bail review on June 22.

For each count of criminal breach on trust, an offender can be jailed for up to 15 years and fined.

Those convicted of falsifying accounts can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined for each charge.