Cycling Buddy's Betrayal: Woman Sentenced to 15 Months for $4,000 Scam

In a shocking case of betrayal among friends, a woman in Singapore has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for cheating her cycling companion out of $4,000, despite knowing that the victim was declared bankrupt.

Rozita Mohamed Rosli, 42, an officer with the Insolvency and Public Trustee’s Office (IPTO) at the Ministry of Law, took advantage of her position and personal knowledge gained from an unauthorized search of the victim's data. In May 2022, Rozita suspected that her 46-year-old cycling buddy was bankrupt and decided to exploit that information.

The deceitful scheme unfolded in June 2022 when Rozita approached the victim, claiming she had spoken to the individual's insolvency administrator concerning the victim's bankruptcy. She falsely informed her that an additional $4,000 was necessary to aid in the discharge from her bankruptcy, arguing that the normal repayment plan of $120 per month over five years would be insufficient if any creditors objected to her discharge. In a desperate attempt to secure the funds, Rozita suggested the victim borrow money from her brother-in-law.

Faced with a financial crisis, the victim pawned her gold bracelet and handed over the cash to Rozita on July 10, 2022. Rozita promised that the money would be refunded if the creditors rejected the discharge proposal – a statement that ultimately proved to be a lie.

The truth surfaced months later when the victim received communication from MinLaw regarding her bankruptcy discharge and sought to retrieve her $4,000 from Rozita. After failing to receive the funds, the victim contacted the Ministry and discovered the scam.

Rozita returned the $4,000 on January 5, 2023, but the damage was done. By March, law enforcement was alerted, leading to her arrest.

During the court proceedings, the Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) June Ngian asserted the seriousness of the crime, emphasizing the victim's vulnerable state as a weighty factor in the decision. “Using her knowledge as an officer with access to sensitive information for personal gain reflects a deep breach of trust,” she stated.

Following her conviction, Rozita was suspended on half-pay and has since been redeployed to a role without access to sensitive data. The Ministry of Law has also initiated disciplinary actions against her amid investigations revealing a clear disregard for ethical conduct expected in her profession.

With her appeal rejected, Rozita is set to surrender to serve her sentence starting December 4, 2023. This unfortunate tale serves as a reminder of the necessity for accountability and ethics, highlighting how even trusted relationships can lead to devastating betrayals when trust is exploited.