Man gets 3 weeks’ jail for hiring girlfriend as domestic helper to extend her stay in S’pore

Singaporean man hires girlfriend as domestic helper to extend stay, allows her to moonlight

A Singaporean man was sentenced to three weeks in jail on Monday (13 Oct) after hiring his girlfriend as a domestic helper to extend her stay in the country.

According to Channel News Asia (CNA), he was convicted and pled guilty to one charge of making a false statement to the controller of work passes.

Man hires girlfriend after she gets terminated from previous employment

Faizal Farid, 45, met his girlfriend, 37-year-old Sotto Jennie Villaron, in 2021 during the Covid-19 period.

At the time, she was employed as a migrant domestic helper on a valid permit.

In early Feb 2024, Jennie informed Faizal that her current employer planned to terminate her contract.

She asked if she could transfer her employment to him so her stay in Singapore would remain valid.

Faizal agreed on 28 Feb 2024 and submitted a work permit application stating he would employ her — though there was no intention for her to perform domestic helper duties.

Her new permit was issued on 9 March 2024.

Girlfriend moonlights as babysitter while on domestic helper permit

Between March and July 2024, Jennie stayed at Faizal’s home four to five nights a week “as his girlfriend”.

According to prosecutors, she did not perform domestic helper duties during this period.

Instead, she worked two to three nights a week as a babysitter for another party, with Faizal aware of and consenting to the arrangement.

This was despite her still maintaining a work permit under his name.

Defence says man had ‘misguided intention’

Faizal’s  lawyers said he did pay Jennie S$700 a month, sometimes more, and continued to pay the required levy until her work permit was cancelled.

They argued that he acted out of a desire to help someone he loved, rather than for greed or exploitation.

The defence also noted that the case has already had serious consequences for Faizal, as Jennie will not be allowed to re-enter Singapore, likely ending their relationship.

Man and girlfriend separately get three weeks in jail

For being part of this deception, Jennie was sentenced to three weeks’ jail on 1 Sept.

The judge said that given Jennie had served three weeks’ jail, Faizal should receive the same sentence and imposed an identical term.

For making a false statement to the controller of work passes, he could have been jailed up to two years, fined up to S$20,000, or both.

Also read: Helper in S’pore jailed for letting boyfriend watch her change naked elderly man’s diaper via video call

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Featured image adapted from PIXTA on Canva and MustShareNews.