Education centre MD cheated firms of $340,000
A South Korean man cheated several companies of more than $340,000 by posing as a representative of other businesses to purchase electronic gadgets on credit over three months last year.
An Dae Kee, 38, the managing director of Seoul Education Centre, then cheated the companies, which included consumer electronics store Best Denki and telcos StarHub and Singtel, by absconding with the items without paying for them.
Court documents said that An, claiming to be an executive director from EtonHouse International Education Group, e-mailed Best Denki in March last year to purchase Apple products. When a Best Denki sales executive replied to the e-mail, An told him to liaise with the purchase order manager.
An, posing as the purchase order manager, later sent a WhatsApp message to the Best Denki sales executive.
Best Denki confirmed his order of 18 Apple computers worth almost $36,000 and gave him a 30-day credit term. An also purchased five more Apple computers, 16 Apple iPads, a television and other electronic devices from Best Denki using different fake identities.
He also cheated StarHub and Singtel of 14 Apple iPhones worth about $24,000.
An later posed as the accounts manager of Amara Holdings to cheat IT retailer Newstead. He requested for a 30-day credit term, and bought two Apple MacBook Air computers and 10 MacBook Pro computers, which were picked up by a courier arranged by An.
He also bought 30 Samsung Galaxy S9+ mobile phones worth about $41,000 from info-communications technology company Rugged Asia.
The police received eight reports from various victimes between April and May last year .
On May 3, the police arrested An in a room at the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel in Orchard Road.
He was found with such items as a foldable knife and a clear glass tube, which was later found to be stained with substances, including the illegal narcotic methamphetamine.
An pleaded guilty in court yesterday to four cheating charges involving nearly $180,000. He also admitted to two drug-related charges and one count of possessing a knife.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Hsiao Tien urged District Judge John Ng to sentence An to at least four years and three months in jail, as his cheating offences were premeditated.
Defence counsel Nigel Sim pleaded for his client to be sentenced to two years and nine months in jail, saying that An had cheated out of desperation because he was "deep in debt".
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now
