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Ex-retail consultant at Singtel shop jailed for graft over leak of customer data

The Singapore State Courts. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)
The Singapore State Courts. (PHOTO: Dhany Osman / Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE — A 32-year-old retail consultant at a Singtel shop was on Tuesday (26 January) jailed for 18 weeks for leaking the telco’s customer data to his friend in return for cash.

Kelvin Foo Cheek Ann pleaded guilty to one corruption charge and five counts of unauthorised access to computer material.

Another 10 similar charges were considered in sentencing as part of his plea bargain.

Foo worked for Telecom Equipment, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singtel, at the telco’s shop at Parkway Parade.

In 2015, Foo’s friend Lee Cheng Yan asked for help in retrieving customers’ details from Singtel’s computer system using their mobile phone numbers. Lee offered Foo $20 for each number he checked and the latter agreed, accepting a total of $180.

“As the accused owed Lee money from their drinking sessions, the accused agreed for Lee to deduct this sum off the debt that he owed to Lee,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Jasmin Kaur.

Over 15 occasions in all, Foo leaked Singtel’s subscribers data to Lee based on the phone numbers he was given. The data included residential addresses and home phone numbers.

“All the above subscribers reported instances of harassment such as calls, text messages and people showing up at their houses demanding for money to be returned to various people,” said DPP Kaur.

Lee made the news in 2017 when he drove a Maserati car while under a driving ban and dragged a traffic police officer at a speed of about 80kmh for some 124m in a bid to escape.

In July last year, he was sentenced to a jail term of four years and seven months, a $3,700 fine and a lifetime driving ban. He is out on bail pending an appeal.

Lee’s charges over the Singtel data breach case involving Foo are pending before the courts.

For his corruption charge, Foo could have been fined up to $100,000 and also jailed for up to five years.

For unauthorised access to computer material, he could have been jailed for up to two years and also fined up to $5,000 per charge.

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