Former property agent sentenced to jail for swindling client of more than $26,000
Kamsaton Rohani was sentenced to suffer 11 months of jail time after pleading guilty to cheating one of her clients.
Former property agent Kamsaton Rohani was sentenced to suffer 11 months of jail time after pleading guilty to cheating one of her clients, making the latter pay for more than $26,000, purported as stamp duty fee, in order to settle a similar fee for another client, reported The Straits Times.
Madam Ainur Rashidah Othman, the victim who was asked to pay the sum in a cashier’s order, later discovered from the Housing Board that her flat’s stamp duty fee only amounted to about $16,000, which has been fully covered by her husband’s Central Provident Fund (CPF).
The 54-year-old suspect was an associate division director at PropNex. She is no longer on the Council for Estate Agencies’ public register.
Related article: 3 Times Property Agents in Singapore Broke the Rules (And What You Can Do)
Based on court documents, the cheating happened when Kamsaton mistakenly told another client who wanted to buy a condominium unit that he could use CPF monies to pay for the stamp duty fee. But due to unknown reasons, the client had to pay the fee in cash but did not have the sum needed.
Thus, Kamsaton decided to pay the fee and hatched a plan to deceive Madam Ainur, 54.
On 27 March 2018, she asked the victim and her husband via WhatsApp to pay more than $26,000 for the stamp duty fee of their HDB flat through a cashier’s order, with the payment to be made under the name of the “Commissioner of Stamp Duties”.
Despite her doubts, the victim agreed and prepared a cashier’s order. She handed the same to Kamsaton who assured the former that the CPF Board will reimburse such amount to them.
However, after such payment, Madam Ainur did not receive the promised “refund” on 27 August 2018, prompting her to send an e-mail to HDB.
An HDB employee later replied that a cash payment of stamp fees is not required for the victim’s purchase.
The victim then reported to the police on 11 July 2019.
It remains unclear how Kamsaton was able to encash the check despite the fact that the payment was not made in her name.
According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Amanda Han, Kamsaton, to date, has already made a partial restitution of $6,200.
For committing such offense, Kamsaton could have been imprisoned for up to 10 years and fined.
Looking for a property in Singapore? Visit PropertyGuru’s Listings, Project Reviews and Guides.
Victor Kang, Digital Content Specialist at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email victorkang@propertyguru.com.sg
