SINGAPORE: A construction worker lied to fellow migrant workers that he was a licensed employment agent in order to cheat them of their money.
In all, Mondal Palus deceived 17 foreign workers into handing him more than S$35,000 (US$27,600).
On Thursday (May 7), the Bangladeshi was sentenced to 13 months and three weeks’ jail.
He pleaded guilty to five charges of cheating seven people by deceiving them into believing he was working in a licensed employment agency in Singapore and that he required money to apply for in-principle approval (IPA) for their relatives or secure employment.
Another 10 charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.
An IPA is required to bring migrant workers into Singapore.
Mondal, 35, told court through a Bengali interpreter that he wanted to plead guilty and that he just needed a ticket to go back home.
His work permit was cancelled in February 2024 and he was issued a special pass to remain in Singapore.
THE CASE
According to court documents, the offences took place on several occasions in 2023 and 2024.
Sometime in end-March 2023, three Bangladeshi men – Humayun, Rasel and Hossain – were introduced to the accused through the recommendation of a friend named Al Alam.
Mondal claimed he could help their relatives in Bangladesh in finding a job here.
He lied that he was working with a local licensed employment agency and asked the three men to send their relatives’ particulars and resumes, and transfer S$8,600 in total to his DBS bank account to apply for their IPAs.
The accused knew that these were false, as he was only employed as a construction worker and could not apply for IPAs, court documents read.
The three men followed his instructions and transferred money to his bank account between Apr 5, 2023 and Apr 17, 2023.
About a month later, the three men did not hear back from the accused on the outcome of the IPAs and also lost contact with him. Mr Humayun lodged a police report on May 15, 2023, stating that he along with two others had been cheated by Mondal.
In another incident in April 2023, another Bangladeshi national Hossain Md Akter was also introduced to Mondal through the friend named Al Alam.
Mr Hossain Md Akter was asked to transfer S$1,400 for the accused to apply for an IPA, which he did between April 5, 2023 and April 9, 2023. He lodged a police report about three months later when he did not hear from Mondal.
Three other men were cheated this way by Mondal, who either promised to help with the victims’ IPA applications or find employment.
In all the incidents, Mondal used the money he collected for his personal expenses.
No money was recovered, although the offender made restitution of S$3,800 to Mr Humayun and S$600 to another victim in relation to one of the charges taken into consideration.
Mondal was arrested by the police on Feb 10, 2025 and charged two days later.
The prosecution initially sought 12 months and three weeks’ jail for Mondal.
For cheating, he could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.
