Singaporean man jailed for printing fake notes for social escort services

SINGAPORE, May 6 — Unable to pay for sexual services, a father of seven children turned to printing fake dollar notes to help him offset the cost.

Feroz Akthar Hussain’s crime was later uncovered when the social escort he hired tried to pay for her laundry bills using the “cash” he gave her, and he then fled Singapore in the engine compartment of a bus to avoid prosecution.

He was arrested when he returned to Singapore a few months later.

Yesterday (May 5), the 41-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to three years and six weeks’ jail after he pleaded guilty to a charge each of using counterfeit currency and of failing to produce his passport to an immigration officer.

His sentencing was backdated from January 5, the day he was arrested.

What happened

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Lee Da Zhuan told the court that Feroz’s offences took place on the night of December 28 last year.

He was a bus driver and wanted to hire a 24-year old social escort, from the Philippines, for sexual services, but he couldn’t afford it.

So he decided that he would photocopy a genuine S$50 bill (RM167.55), then print it using an inkjet, which allowed him four copies of counterfeit notes.

Documents from the court revealed that three notes had the same serial number.

Feroz offset the cost of an hour of sexual services at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel along Havelock Road with the social escort, which cost a total S$350.

The woman then tried to pay her laundry bill in the Mercure Singapore Stevens Hotel near Orchard Road using two of the fake notes.

The front office manager of the hotel “strongly suspected” that the notes were fake and told the woman to wait at the lobby, DPP Lee said.

The manager called the police.

Feroz fled to Malaysia in order to avoid prosecution on January 4, this year at 1.40am.

This happened while he had been released on bail. The prosecution didn’t specify at the time what Feroz had been charged with.

Feroz took out S$1,900 at an automated teller and took a taxi from the Hougang heavy vehicle park to get someone to help him smuggle into Malaysia.

There, he asked for his colleague, who was identified in court documents as just “Din”.

Din agreed to the trip and it took place around 7am.

Feroz was able, at the Tuas Checkpoint, to pass the border without being detected by hiding in a small space between the bus engine and the wall.

He returned to the same checkpoint around 1.35pm on January 5, without his Singapore passport. It is unknown why he returned.

He was arrested by officers of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority after he confessed he was wanted in Singapore and that he crossed into Malaysia illegally.

Serious crimes

Feroz, who appeared before the District Judge Brenda Chua via video-link, and was not represented in court by an attorney, asked for a lenient sentence because he had seven children.

The judge noted Feroz had also submitted a written letter of mitigation that stated he had a ill mother and a spouse who was not employed.

“This is your first crime, and this is your last crime, did you say that?” the judge asked and Feroz acknowledged that.

District Judge Chua then told him that offences relating to counterfeit currency notes “are of a serious nature”.

As the judge’s sentence was translated into Malay for Feroz, his face scrunched up and he started choking on his tears.

He covered his mouth with both hands at one point before looking up and mumbling. Later, he was heard making an agonized cry.

Feroz could have faced a 20-year prison sentence and fines for using counterfeit notes.

He could have faced a fine of up to S$1,000 and/or a jail term of up to 6 months for failing to show his passport to a immigration officer. ― TODAY