Who Was Jane Lee? Singapore Salad Chain Owner Dies After Exposing Alleged Workplace Fraud
Jane Lee, a respected entrepreneur and founder of salad chain Sumo Well in Singapore, died unexpectedly on July 19, just one day after publishing two emotional Facebook posts. In those posts, she alleged that a former employee had staged a fake workplace injury to exploit the compensation system. Her passing, currently classified as "unnatural," is under police investigation, and her final online messages have stirred deep concern across Singapore's business community. X
Lee identified the employee as Sran Kiranjeet Kaur, an Indian national, who allegedly reported an injury two days before her contract ended. Lee believed the fall was fabricated, possibly as part of a planned attempt to claim compensation under Singapore's Work Injury Compensation (WIC) framework. She claimed to have video evidence that contradicted the worker's statements and suspected legal guidance behind the move.
In her final posts, Lee expressed emotional distress, citing financial vulnerability due to gaps in her business insurance. She described the experience as traumatic and feared other small business owners could be targeted similarly. "I may not be the last," she warned, calling on the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and authorities to act.
The following day, Jane Lee was found dead. A close friend later suggested on social media that she died by suicide. The Singapore Police Force confirmed an ongoing investigation, while MOM stated that they were in contact with Lee before her passing. Authorities are now working with the employee's insurer to review the legitimacy of the injury claim and warned that any misuse of the system will not be tolerated.
Tributes poured in at her wake held at St Joseph's Church, where friends and colleagues described her as kind-hearted and resilient. Her business outlets continued to operate, but the emotional impact of her death remains profound. Many are now urging the government to strengthen protections for small business owners facing legal and financial uncertainty.
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New Paper
11 hours ago
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Work injury at Sumo Salad covered under valid insurance policy: MOM
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said salad shop Sumo Salad was covered by a valid insurance policy when an alleged work injury involving a staff member occurred on June 6. The salad shop's owner, the late Ms Jane Lee, had submitted an incident report to MOM soon after. As at June 27, the company had been reimbursed by its insurer for the medical expenses and medical leave wages it had claimed, MOM told reporters during a briefing on Aug 1. When asked whether there were outstanding claims after June 27, the ministry said the claims process has not concluded as investigations are still ongoing. Before finalising a claim, doctors must assess the extent of an injured worker's incapacity, which determines the amount of lump-sum compensation for the worker. MOM added that it has not received any indication from the insurer of potential fraud, but emphasised that the possibility cannot be ruled out. Ms Lee died on July 19, a day after she posted two Facebook posts alleging that a former staff member had staged a fall in an attempt to claim workplace injury compensation. She believed her company was targeted because of "an unfortunate gap" in insurance coverage. Ms Lee also urged MOM and the police to investigate the case thoroughly, as she believed it was a premeditated scheme involving the ex-employee's husband and possibly a law firm. The incident has sparked wider discussions about challenges faced by small business owners in Singapore, and the need for stronger safeguards against abuses of the Work Injury Compensation Act (Wica). MOM said the worker involved in this case is still in Singapore on a Special Pass, which is typically issued temporarily to those whose work permits have been cancelled and are awaiting departure, or for specific purposes such as assisting with investigation and attending court. MOM said insurers had referred about 12 claims a year for investigation into potential fraud. Over the last five years, the ministry had prosecuted about two workers a year for fraudulent claims. These workers were jailed between three and 13 weeks. The maximum penalty is a jail term of up to 12 months, or a $15,000 fine, or both. Employers who fail to buy insurance for their manual workers, and non-manual workers earning $2,600 a month or less, may be fined up to $10,000, jailed up to 12 months, or both. In the last five years, MOM had prosecuted about two employers a year for such offences. MOM said the ministry conducts audit checks on employers for their Wica coverage. "When we detect they do not have any insurance, we will nudge them," an MOM spokesman said, adding that a grace period is given to employers to buy or renew insurance. MOM added that over the past three years, 94 per cent of all work injury claims were paid by insurers. For the remaining 6 per cent, most were paid directly by employers exempted from buying the Workplace Injury Compensation (WIC) insurance. Generally, employers with insurance coverage can be reimbursed for medical expenses as well as wages paid to workers on medical leave. The insurer will make lump sum compensations to workers or their family in the event of death, permanent incapacity or incapacity that remains six months post-injury, based on doctors' assessments. If there are disputes on the degree of permanent incapacity awarded, the case will be referred to the WIC Medical Board for independent reassessment.
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Online Citizen
13 hours ago
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MOM: Sumo Salad employer fully reimbursed by insurer; no fraud found so far in work injury claim
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) confirmed on 1 August 2025 that the employer involved in the Sumo Salad workplace injury case has been fully reimbursed by their insurer. The reimbursement, which covers medical bills and medical leave wages submitted up to that point, was completed on 26 and 27 June. Speaking at a media briefing on the Work Injury Compensation Act (WICA), MOM added that it had not received any indication from the insurer that fraud was involved. However, a ministry spokesperson clarified that this does not eliminate the possibility of fraud, as investigations are still ongoing. 'We have not received any indication from the insurer that there is fraud. But that is different from saying that there is no fraud, because we are investigating,' the spokesperson stated. The update comes amid heightened public scrutiny following the death of Jane Lee, the owner of Sumo Salad, who posted online allegations of a fraudulent work injury claim shortly before her passing. Lee alleged in Facebook posts on 18 July that a foreign worker had staged a fall to claim compensation from her business, operated under the name EatGreen. She said her company had become the target of what she believed to be a 'fraudulent scheme,' and lamented a gap in their insurance coverage at the time. Jane Lee died on 19 July. The Singapore Police Force is conducting an investigation into her unnatural death. According to MOM, the work injury incident was reported to have occurred on 6 June. The employer subsequently filed a work injury report. MOM said the employer held a valid insurance policy at the time of the incident. While confirming the employer's insurance status, MOM declined to name the insurer, citing ongoing investigations. The ministry also stated that the work injury claims process in this case has not yet concluded. Asked about the current status of the foreign worker involved in the claim, MOM said it does not usually disclose individual employment statuses. However, it noted that in certain cases under investigation, special passes may be issued to legalise a worker's stay in Singapore during the process. Jane Lee passed away after raising alarm over alleged foreign worker injury claim scam Jane Lee, a mother of two in her 40s, alleged before her death that the worker had staged the incident just two days before the end of her employment contract. In one of her final social media posts, she claimed that the worker's husband and possibly a law firm had collaborated in orchestrating the event. She warned that small businesses with incomplete insurance cover could be particularly vulnerable to such tactics, which she believed were meant to instil fear and extort money. Lee also voiced concerns that workers could exaggerate injuries or falsely claim permanent disabilities in order to obtain higher payouts. Her posts called on authorities to investigate the case thoroughly to protect small business owners facing similar risks. The incident has since triggered an outpouring of public sympathy and renewed calls for more robust safeguards against fraudulent claims under WICA. Many small business owners have echoed Lee's concerns and urged MOM to tighten checks on suspicious claims, while ensuring legitimate injuries continue to receive fair compensation. MOM: 28,500 work injury claims filed annually; about 12 cases a year flagged for suspected fraud During the same media briefing, MOM provided broader context about work injury compensation in Singapore. It revealed that approximately 28,500 work injury claims are filed annually. Out of these, insurers and employers pay compensation for around 26,800 cases each year. MOM said that insurers refer roughly 12 cases annually to the ministry for investigation into potential fraud. The ministry stressed that WICA is designed to balance the financial liabilities of employers with the social protections needed by injured workers. It explained that the Act imposes compensation caps to protect employers from sudden large financial burdens while providing workers with a quicker, low-cost path to compensation. Under WICA, employers are required to purchase work injury insurance for all manual workers, regardless of salary. Non-manual workers earning S$2,600 or less a month must also be insured, as must all platform workers through their operators. The Act covers medical expenses, medical leave wages, and lump sum compensation for permanent incapacity or death. Over the past three years, 94 per cent of WICA claims were paid out by insurers. The remaining 6 per cent were generally paid directly by employers who are exempt from mandatory insurance. MOM also highlighted several safeguards built into the system to prevent abuse. These include assessments by insurers, who act as gatekeepers, and mandatory medical evaluations, which are tightly regulated. Additionally, all parties involved in a claim, including employers, workers and insurers, are allowed to raise objections to any aspect of the process.
