Helper stole $30k from employer in 28 days, sent it to husband in Indonesia and spent it on mobile games
Ethel Tseng
TNP
July 18, 2025
An Indonesian domestic helper, left alone at home, repeatedly entered her employer's sister-in-law's room, stealing more than $30,000 over a span of 28 days.
Most of the money was sent to her husband in Indonesia, while the remaining amount was spent on mobile games.
On July 15, 28-year-old Mei Santi Andriani (transliterated) was jailed for 10 months after pleading guilty to two counts of theft.
Three other charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.
Shin Min Daily News reported that Andriani was employed by a 59-year-old woman but did not live with her.
Instead, her primary duties were to care for the employer's 82-year-old mother-in-law and father-in-law, carrying out household chores such as cleaning and cooking.
The elderly couple initially lived in a private residence in the Mandai area.
On March 26, due to ongoing renovation works at the elderly couple's home, they temporarily relocated to a public housing unit along Yishun Ring Road.
The elderly couple shared one bedroom, while Andriani and the employer's 53-year-old sister-in-law occupied separate rooms.
Intruded into private room to steal
The employer's sister-in-law told Andriani that she was only allowed to enter the sister-in-law's room for cleaning when she was at home, and that the room would usually be locked.
However, while doing the laundry, Andriani discovered a key in a pair of trousers that belonged to the sister-in-law. She kept the key with the intention of using it to steal from the room.
On May 6, Andriani used the key to unlock the room and discovered a large sum of cash in a wardrobe drawer. She took a bundle of cash and locked up after leaving.
Counting the money in her own room, she found she had taken $4,700, which she deposited into her bank account later that day.
Emboldened, Andriani continued stealing from the room.
Between May 6 and May 28, she stole on at least 14 occasions, taking a total of $30,140 in cash. Each time, she deposited the stolen money into her bank account on the same day.
She later sent a large portion of the money to her husband, who resides in Indonesia, while the rest was spent on mobile games and personal expenses.
Click here to contribute a story or submit it to our WhatsApp
Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
15 hours ago
- AsiaOne
ICA foils attempt to smuggle 500 packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes in motorcycle at Woodlands Checkpoint, Singapore News
The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) thwarted an attempt to smuggle duty-unpaid cigarettes through Woodlands Checkpoint on Wednesday (June 23). In a Facebook post on Friday (July 25), it said that officers had directed the Malaysia-registered vehicle for enhanced checks and discovered over 500 packets concealed in various components. Photos uploaded by ICA show the duty-unpaid cigarettes wrapped in black hidden within the body of the motorcycle. The case has been referred to the Singapore Customs for further investigation. In May, four Indonesian nationals aged between 28 and 50 were arrested for illegally entering Singapore by sea on a small craft carrying 2,700 packets of assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes. They were charged for unlawful entry into Singapore, which carries a maximum penalty of six months in prison and at least three strokes of the cane. Under the Customs Act and the GST Act, offenders can be fined up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded and/or jailed for up to six years for dealing with duty-unpaid goods. The vehicles used to commit the offences are also subject to forfeiture. [[nid:720634]] drimac@
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Indonesia court convicts aide of former president Megawati in blow to opposition
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Hasto Krsitiyanto was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and fined 250 million rupiah (S$19,605). JAKARTA – An Indonesian court convicted a senior aide to former President Megawati Soekarnoputri in a corruption case, dealing a blow to the leadership of the nation's main opposition party. The Central Jakarta District Court on July 25 found Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary-general of Ms Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), guilty of bribing a former election commission official in 2019 to facilitate the replacement of a Member of Parliament. Hasto was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and fined 250 million rupiah (S$19,605). The court acquitted him of a separate charge of obstructing a corruption investigation into a fugitive linked to the party. Both parties have seven days to appeal the verdict. Prosecutors had sought a seven-year sentence. The case has revived longstanding concerns about judicial independence in the South-east Asian democracy, particularly as other opposition-linked figures come under legal scrutiny. Last week, a vocal government critic and former trade minister was convicted in a graft case related to sugar imports. Hasto has consistently denied wrongdoing. He said on July 25 that his verdict was similar to what the former minister had experienced, 'where the law becomes a tool of power.' Prosecutors previously have denied any ulterior motive in the case. The ruling represents a setback for PDI-P, the largest party in Parliament and the sole major party outside the ruling coalition of President Prabowo Subianto. The imprisonment of a senior official could diminish the party's parliamentary influence, and prompt internal debates over whether to continue its relatively non-adversarial stance or emerge as a stronger opposition force. Political analysts have long perceived the charges against Hasto as politically driven, in part because they stemmed from events dating back years and because of the timing of a falling-out with former President Joko Widodo. The case originated in late 2024 after PDI-P formally ended its alliance with Mr Widodo for endorsing Mr Prabowo rather than the party's own candidate in Indonesia's presidential election. In court, Hasto had claimed he was threatened with arrest if his party went ahead with expelling Mr Widodo. The former president has denied any involvement in the alleged threat, telling reporters in March that there would be no point in threatening someone not to expel him. 'What would I gain? What would I lose?' he said, according to local media outlet Detik News. The verdict comes a week after Thomas Trikasih Lembong, the former trade minister and a vocal critic of both Mr Widodo and Mr Prabowo in recent years, was found guilty in a case related to sugar imports a decade ago. Both Lembong and prosecutors this week filed appeals in the case. BLOOMBERG
CNA
a day ago
- CNA
Indonesia court jails senior opposition official over bribery case
JAKARTA: An Indonesian court on Friday (Jul 25) sentenced a senior politician from the only opposition party in parliament to 3.5 years in jail, in a bribery case linked to a parliamentary appointment. Prosecutors had charged Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDI-P, with bribing an election official with S$57,530 (US$44,962) in exchange for a parliamentary seat for a politician he preferred. In last year's presidential election, the PDI-P had backed a rival to Prabowo Subianto, who won by a landslide. Hasto was acquitted of another charge, of obstruction of justice, for helping the favoured politician to escape detention and tampering with evidence by submerging phones in water. "It was proven legally and convincingly that the defendant provided the money ... It was proven that he gave money to a government official," judge Sigit Herman Binaji said. However, it was not proven that Hasto had obstructed the bribery case by instructing his staff to submerge the phones in water, another judge said, adding that investigations into the matter continued. "Praise to God that it was unproven for the obstruction of justice charge," Hasto said at a press conference after the trial. Hasto's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether his client would appeal. The investigation implicating Hasto began five years ago, during the presidency of Prabowo's predecessor Joko Widodo, who at the time was a PDI-P member. Widodo severed ties with the party after it backed different candidates in the 2024 election. Some analysts view Widodo's tacit support for Prabowo, with Widodo's son running as Prabowo's vice president, as a key factor delivering Prabowo to high office.
