Ex-NUS professor sentenced to jail after gaining nearly S$88,400 from fraudulent claims

Ex-NUS professor dupes university of nearly S$88,400

Tan Kok Kiong, a former National University of Singapore (NUS) professor, was sentenced to 24 weeks’ jail on Monday (Apr 22) for making false reimbursement claims.

The 56-year-old Singaporean allegedly submitted 37 false claims amounting to nearly S$88,400 between 2012 and 2019.

Tan initially served as an associate professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NUS before being promoted to professor in 2018.

Forged receipts using computer software

According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), Tan manipulated physical receipts and used software such as Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat to alter invoices.

He would even add an extra zero to some of his receipts to reflect higher prices, going as far as adding different descriptions to support his expenses.

Some of his claims were entirely fictitious.

Among the items that Tan claimed expenses for were a vacuum cleaner for his office, a battery for a personal mobility device, and a 65-inch Samsung LED television for an autonomous driving project.

As a result of his deceit, he managed to trick NUS into reimbursing him a total of S$88,399.40.

Ex-NUS professor suffered from depression

Court documents state that Tan suffered from depression between January and October 2017.

This contributed to his actions, The Straits Times (ST) reported.

Deputy Public Prosecutor David Menon said: “During this time, the accused ruminated irrationally about wanting to retaliate against his family for what [he] perceived to be a lack of appreciation of him.”

Tan “irrationally believed they would appreciate him more if he got into trouble” for his offences.

An Institute of Mental Health report presented during the trial highlighted that Tan’s depression hindered his comprehension of the nature of his actions.

This was because he harboured the belief that retaliating would give him a sense of vindication.

Sentenced to 24 weeks in jail

Mr Menon argued for a 24- to 26-week jail sentence for Tan.

He said the ex-professor’s offences against a public institution over an extended period justified a deterrent sentence.

In contrast, Tan’s lawyer, Preshin Manmindar, appealed for leniency, citing the ex-NUS professor’s significant contributions to the university.

Mr Manmindar also said that his client had a psychiatric condition which led him to commit his offences and argued that jail would worsen his health.

The lawyer told the judge that court proceedings had worsened Tan’s condition significantly.

Tan frequently isolated himself in his room for days, unable to communicate with his wife or family.

For the offence of forgery, Tan could have faced a maximum sentence of up to four years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Similarly, he could have been sentenced to a maximum of three years’ jail, a fine, or both for cheating.

Tan has fully reimbursed NUS for his fraudulent claims.

Also read: Woman Forges NTU Degree & Tricks 4 Companies, Had Monthly Salary Of Up To S$6,800