A 22-year-old Singaporean man was sentenced to 20 months and four weeks in jail on 9 Apr 2024 after stealing $280,000 from his grandmother’s bank accounts over a year.
Adam Ilhan Mohamad Idhamsahbani pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal breach of trust and one count of providing false information to a public servant.
The 77-year-old victim, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, relied on her grandson to access her five bank accounts due to memory issues and limited English skills.
She needed his help for online purchases, bill payments, and making donations.
Between January and December 2023, Adam emptied all five of his grandmother’s accounts. He used the money for personal expenses including a laptop, desktop, printer, and in-game purchases for online games he played frequently.
The elderly woman first noticed missing funds in August 2023. By December, her accounts were completely empty.
When his grandmother asked about the missing money, Adam lied, claiming she had fallen victim to scammers.
To back up his story, he forged two letters supposedly from the police. He kept up this lie even after his grandmother filed a police report.
On 17 Jan 2024, Adam gave a false statement at Ang Mo Kio Police Division.
He claimed he had contacted banks after his grandmother noticed the missing funds in August 2023. He said he received a call from a police officer from the Anti-Scam Command in October 2023 informing him that the money had been lost to scammers.
Adam also stated he met with an officer who gave him two letters, which he had actually created himself.
The next day, when police questioned him further, Adam admitted to his lies. He said he was tempted to commit the crime after seeing the money in his grandmother’s accounts.
During court proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Lim Li Ting noted that Adam showed no remorse for his actions even after being caught.
“In the defence’s mitigation, he was blaming her for entrusting him with the bank accounts that enabled him to drain her funds. That is a clear sign of a lack of remorse,” DPP Lim said.
District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan rejected the defence lawyer’s request for a probation suitability report. He emphasized that deterrence and retribution were more important than rehabilitation needs in this case.
“In my mind, this is a very serious offence. It does not show you have committed this in a moment of folly. It does not show it was committed because of the immaturity of your mind. It was planned, deliberate,” said Judge Shaiffudin.
Adam has so far repaid $100,000 to his grandmother.
For criminal breach of trust, offenders can face up to 20 years in jail and a fine.
Providing false information to a public servant can result in imprisonment of up to two years, a fine, or both.
