SINGAPORE – In exchange for money, a Singaporean woman allowed a man to use her personal particulars to incorporate under her name two companies, which were used to receive the proceeds of fraud.

Another man then offered her money in exchange for access to bank accounts, and as her own bank account was seized for investigations, she got her friend’s boyfriend to provide his, which was used to receive scam money.

On Friday, Susila Hyrawatty Hashim, 43, was jailed for 7 years and 11 months and fined $3,000 after pleading guilty to consuming methamphetamine and four other charges, including one for possessing property that may be reasonably suspected to be benefits from criminal conduct and one under the Computer Misuse Act.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Kathy Chu said in court documents that sometime in mid-August 2021, Susila received a call from an unknown man who promised her $3,000 for each company incorporated using her name.

After she provided the man some details including photographs of her identity card, two companies – Noxt Lightings and Aubright Lightings – were incorporated on or around Aug 31, 2021.

Susila was registered as the sole director and shareholder of both companies.

DPP Chu said that Susila did not perform any due diligence checks before agreeing to be a director of the companies, which she knew were registered as being in the business of sale and repair of lights.

The prosecutor said she was also not involved in business operations and was not aware of the companies’ registered address.

Added DPP Chu: “The accused agreed to take on the role as director of the companies for financial gain and had no intention of discharging her duties as Noxt’s director or Aubright’s director.”

She received $200 from the unknown man, who promised he would pay her the full amount at a later date.

Between Aug 31, 2021, and Sept 24, 2021, Susila did not act honestly and failed to exercise reasonable diligence in the discharge of her duties as a director of Noxt, said DPP Chu.

On Sept 24, 2021, the general manager of an automotive firm filed a police report stating that the firm’s overseas client had been defrauded of about $90,000.

An e-mail allegedly from the company had been sent to the client to make payment to Noxt.

DPP Chu said as Susila failed to supervise the financial transactions of Noxt, the fund transfer was made, and Noxt received the proceeds of fraud.

On Oct 1, 2021, the chief operating officer of another company filed a police report stating that the firm had been defrauded of US$265,720 (S$354,540).

An e-mail allegedly from the company’s chief financial officer had been sent to the finance manager to make payment to Aubright and the payment was made.

Following the reports, the Commercial Affairs Department of the police seized the funds in both Noxt and Aubright accounts.

Sometime in early December 2021, Susila was contacted by another man who told her he needed access to bank accounts for online gambling purposes.

The man promised to give her $100 for the details of each bank account she provided.

As her bank account had been seized, she approached her friend and asked if she could provide the details of any bank accounts.

Susila told her friend that it was an opportunity to make “fast cash” and the friend discussed the matter with her boyfriend, who opened an account. Susila then gave the details of the account to the man who had contacted her.

From Dec 11 to 16, 2021, $53,447.20 flowed through the account and 11 police reports were lodged relating to fraudulent payments to it.

One of them was made on Dec 16, 2021, by a man stating he had been cheated of $5,600 by an impersonation scam.

DPP Chu asked the court to impose a sentence of between eight years and eight years and three months’ jail and a fine of between $3,000 and $4,000.

For Susila’s offence of possessing property that may be reasonably suspected to be benefits from criminal conduct, the prosecutor asked for four to six months’ jail, saying deterrence is the key sentencing consideration involving financial institutions and infrastructure in Singapore.