SINGAPORE – In a case that has raised eyebrows across the nation, Foo Siang Chi, a former senior executive at two prominent local universities, was sentenced to 46 weeks in prison on April 8 after pleading guilty to several charges, including cheating and voyeurism.

Foo, 55, held the position of deputy director at the National University of Singapore’s office of facilities management (OFM) when his employment was terminated in 2018. His downfall began with a series of deceitful acts that revealed a troubling gambling addiction.

Between 2015 and 2018, while employed at NUS, Foo tricked a colleague into lending him over $205,000 on at least six occasions. Foo failed to disclose that the funds would be used to fuel his gambling habit. Shockingly, he was already in significant debt, approximately $600,000, and did not inform NUS during his appointment.

The timeline of his offenses became even more egregious when he began filming upskirt videos between April 2018 and March 2020—two of these incidents occurring within NUS and two at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), where he was hired in February 2019 as a director of office campus infrastructure and facilities after leaving NUS in 2018.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Alexandria Shamini Joseph explained in court how Foo's actions not only breached trust but went against the moral fabric expected from a person in his position. Between 2018 and 2020, Foo recorded over 30 unofficial videos and photos of unsuspecting women in public places, including public transport and shopping malls, purely for his own gratification.

During the legal proceeding, Foo’s defense team argued for a reduced sentence, citing remorse for his actions and noting that he had paid back his former colleague. They requested a sentence of no more than nine months, emphasizing Foo's struggles, including living apart from his wife and 18-year-old daughter since 2015.

As the case unfolded in November 2023, it concluded with this stern reminder that even in academic institution roles, the pursuit of ethical behavior is paramount. With a maximum penalty of three years in prison for cheating and two years for voyeurism, Foo's sentence falls into a category designed to discourage similar behaviors in the future. Interestingly, as an older offender, he will not face caning, which is an option for younger convicts.

Foo's bail was set at $25,000, and he is expected to start his prison term on April 15. This case serves as a critical lesson on the grave consequences of unethical behavior and an urgent call to address gambling addiction, as well as the need for vigilance in safeguarding the dignity of individuals in our society.

Stay tuned for more updates and analyses as this shocking scandal continues to unfold, revealing deeper implications for workplace ethics and personal integrity!