Former Principal of Japanese Kindergarten Sentenced for Salary Fraud!

In a stunning case that has sent ripples through Singapore's education sector, Yasutaka Mori, a 66-year-old former principal of Konohana Kindergarten, has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison for falsifying teachers' salaries in order to obtain employment passes.

Mori, a Japanese national, pleaded guilty to three serious charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, with eight additional charges taken into account during sentencing. The now-defunct kindergarten, located on Ramsgate Road, was responsible for hiring foreign teachers, a process Mori manipulated for financial gain.

From 2015 to 2021, Mori made false declarations regarding the salaries of five foreign teachers, claiming figures between S$4,500 and S$9,909 monthly, well above the minimum qualification salary of S$5,000 required for employment passes. Shockingly, he never intended to pay these amounts in full; instead, he had an arrangement with the teachers to return a portion of their salaries back to him in cash. This dubious scheme allowed him to pocket a staggering estimate of S$290,000 (approximately US$215,000).

The court learned that the teachers, under economic pressure, were required to repay between 16% and 48% of their supposed salaries each month. Prosecutors indicated that Mori's deceitfulness not only harmed his employees but also undermined Singapore's employment framework designed to ensure fair competition in the labor market.

Mori’s fraudulent activities came to light after the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) began investigating in January 2022, acting on tips that he may be engaging in illegal employment practices. Despite his partial restitution of S$194,000 to the affected teachers, the judiciary emphasized the need for a stringent response to deter similar future offenses.

In defense, Mori’s attorney argued that he had been upfront with teachers during recruitment in Japan, informing them that the declared salaries would be higher than their actual pay. However, the court refuted this statement, emphasizing that the power dynamics between employer and employees placed the teachers in a vulnerable position, often with no choice but to accept Mori's terms.

District Judge Ronald Gwee noted that the scale of Mori's deception was particularly troubling; he had successfully concealed his actions until MOM received critical intelligence on potential breaches. In light of the severity and sophistication of the fraud, Judge Gwee underscored the necessity of sending a clear message to would-be offenders about the consequences of similar fraudulent activities.

This case raises important questions about the integrity of recruitment practices within international educational institutions and highlights the challenges foreign workers may face under the exploitative practices of unscrupulous employers. As the world watches, one thing is clear: justice must prevail to protect the livelihoods of those seeking opportunities abroad!