A mother and her son were charged in court on Friday (12 April) for several offences involving faking the woman’s death to obtain insurance and CPF claims.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), more than $3.7 million in claims were made.
AXA lodged a Police report on 13 November 2018 after detecting some irregularities in the documents relating to the woman’s purported death in Pakistan.
By then, $49,000 was paid out from NTUC under the Dependants’ Protection Scheme and $80,331.23 was paid out from the woman’s CPF account.
On 21 November 2018, officers from the Commercial Affairs Department arrested Abraham Rock, 35, and his mother Talat Farman, 53, was also subsequently arrested.
The 35-year-old man faces a total of 11 charges, including charges of engaging in a conspiracy to commit cheating, giving false information, making a false statutory declaration, and providing false evidence.
The court document stated that Farman conspired with Rock and three other men to fake her death and make it appear as though she had died in a fatal accident along Ring Road, near Kohat Bridge in Peshawar, Pakistan, on 5 July 2018.
Rock then submitted a police report on 17 July from Bhana Mari Police Station to Great Eastern Life, with the intention of making several insurance claims including Prestige Term Plus life and Great Protector insurance claims worth S$1 million each.
The man also made a personal accident insurance claim of S$60,000 and a life insurance claim of S$71,998.86 with Great Eastern Life.
Rock submitted a medical report and a death certificate from Lady Reading Hospital in Pakistan
He also handed a copy of an invoice for the marble plate which he claimed was for his mother’s burial as part of his claims applications.
Rock faces a total of 11 charges, including charges of engaging in a conspiracy to commit cheating, giving false information, making a false statutory declaration, and providing false evidence.
While his mother faces a total of 5 charges of engaging in a conspiracy to cheat.
If convicted, for conspiracy to commit cheating, the pair could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and shall also be liable to a fine.
For making a false statutory declaration / providing false evidence, the pair could face imprisonment for a term which may extend to 7 years and shall also be liable to a fine.
While for giving false information, the pair could face imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to $5,000, or with both.
The pair are out on bail of S$15,000 each and will return to court on 10 May.
The police said that it has worked in close collaboration with the insurers in this investigation.
“In our continuous effort to combat fraud, it is vital for all insurers to be proactive in detecting and reporting suspicious cases to the authorities,” it noted.