Childcare centre principal jailed for siphoning over $46,000
SINGAPORE — For almost a year, a pre-school centre principal siphoned more than $46,000 in cash from the parents of 29 students, a court heard.
Instead of depositing the money that had been paid for enrolment or school fees into Acekidz@SG’s bank account, Cheryl Zaneta Kaur Nespal pocketed the cash and spent it on her personal expenses.
At the State Courts on Monday (2 December), the 30-year-old Singaporean was jailed for one year.
She pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal breach of trust as a servant or employee.
Acekidz@SG owns and operates seven pre-school cum childcare centres in Singapore, which are licensed with the Early Childhood Development Agency.
Kaur was employed as the principal and supervisor of one centre in Jurong. She held the position from July 2016 until she was sacked in August 2017.
Between October 2016 and July 2017, she misappropriated a total of $46,687.70.
The chief executive and director of Acekidz@SG, Wong Wei Li, chanced upon a receipt issued to one parent which bore the company’s stamp but was not the same as the receipts issued by the company.
Checks revealed that parent’s child was not enrolled in the company’s system.
Kaur confessed to her crimes by way of a confession letter that she emailed to her employer.
She has made restitution of $2,000.
For committing criminal breach of trust as a servant or employee, Kaur could have been jailed for up to 15 years and also fined.
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