A wheelchair-bound Singaporean woman hired a maid to care for her, even trusting her to help with cash withdrawals. However, the maid not only made unauthorised withdrawals but also transferred money into her own bank account, stealing more than $10,000 in the span of six months. The maid spent all of it on clothes and cosmetics.

The accused, Yin Miaomiao Ai (transliteration), a 25-year-old domestic worker from Myanmar, pleaded guilty to one count of theft. Another charge under the Computer Misuse Act was taken into consideration during sentencing. She has been sentenced to nine months in jail.

The maid was entrusted with the employer’s ATM card

The victim, a 68-year-old single woman who relies on a wheelchair and does not work, hired the maid to care for her and help with household chores. The maid began working for her on October 4, 2023, earning a monthly salary of $550.

Since the victim’s nephew sometimes could not assist with ATM withdrawals, she entrusted the maid to withdraw money on her behalf, which gave the maid access to her ATM card and PIN.

On November 10, 2023, the victim’s nephew noticed irregularities in her bank transfer records. Upon checking further, he discovered that the maid had been making unauthorized withdrawals and reported the matter to the police.

Investigations revealed that between April 26 and October 30, 2023, the maid made 19 unauthorized cash withdrawals and also transferred money into her personal account 19 times, without her employer’s consent. Each theft ranged between $100 and $500, amounting to a total of $10,130. She admitted to spending the entire sum on clothing and cosmetics and has not made any restitution.

The employer never got her money back

Speaking on Saturday (October 4), the victim shared that the maid was often on her phone during work and was not very diligent. The maid’s main tasks were cleaning the house, as she was not good at cooking.

“I even cooked for her myself,” the employer, Madam Liu, said.

“I treated her well, but I don’t know why she did this. She never apologised, and I never got my money back.”

Madam Liu added that although the maid’s contract was for two years, she had previously told her nephew she wanted to end it early. “When I asked her why, she refused to explain.”

Liu explained that she had suffered a stroke before and stayed in a nursing home. Later, she hired a maid to care for her at home. This was her second maid. “Now I’ve already hired a new helper, who has been working with me for more than a month.”

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