Staff used printing firm's resources to earn above $57,000
SINGAPORE — Unhappy about his career progression prospects, an employee at a printing services company misused his firm's resources for his own freelance work, a court heard.
Over four years, Mike Song made a profit of $57,479.90 by secretly returning to work late at night.
At the State Courts on Thursday (29 July), the 56-year-old errant production manager was jailed for one year after he pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal breach of trust as an employee.
The court heard that Song worked for 8 Ink Media at 51 Ubi Avenue 1 and later INX Events & Productions –when the former company and its employees were transferred to the latter.
Sometime in November 2015, he started to use printing resources from the company for his own financial benefit.
"The accused started this freelance work as he felt that he was not given sufficient progression and opportunities even though the company was then expanding and doing well," said Deputy Public Prosecutor Hidayat Amir.
He would often be physically absent from work during the day and return to work late at night to commit the crimes, the prosecutor added.
In August 2016, Song started his own printing services company Opportunities Production. He sourced for his own clients and conducted business dealings with them via this company.
The next year, the culprit misused his employer's resources over 48 occasions for his personal clients, earning $31,401.70.
The following year, he earned $18,056.60 by misusing the resources over 22 occasions.
In total, Song earned $57,479.90 from sales to his personal clients between November 2015 and December 2019, causing a loss of the same amount to his employer.
A colleague found out about the misdeeds and reported on 1 February last year.
Song later reached a settlement agreement with his employer to make restitution of $58,000, which he has since paid.
For each of his proceeded charges of criminal breach of trust as an employee, Song could have been jailed for up to 15 years and also fined.
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