3 months' jail for maid who stole $7,000 from employer, got caught after flaunting cash on TikTok

He was scrolling through TikTok when he came across a chilling video — money in a red packet that he recognised as his.

And the owner of the TikTok account? His helper.

The 36-year-old Indonesian maid, identified in media reports as Nurfiyawati, pleaded guilty to one count of theft on Friday (Aug 25) and was sentenced to three months' jail.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the accused had started working for her 41-year-old employer in January last year. She was tasked with cooking, cleaning as well as taking care of his four-year-old son.

While the family was away on a holiday to South Korea in May last year, Nurfiyawati had searched the master bedroom, uncovering a box in the storage compartment under the bed, reported the Chinese evening daily.

The box contained around 50 to 60 red packets, with each red packet holding between $10 and $400 in cash, the court heard.

Nurfiyawati pocketed two packets — an act that was not discovered by the employer.

Emboldened, she began stealing from the box every week, taking two red packets at a time from May to Aug 31 last year. She did so on at least 32 occasions. On one occasion, she pocketed $1,000 in cash that was in the box.

Caught on TikTok

Her offences only came to light because of a post she made of her 'loot' on TikTok.

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According to Shin Min Daily News and Today, Nurfiyawati's employer, Sim Yuan San, was scrolling through TikTok on Feb 5 this year when he came across a short video clip.

The video showed some cash in a red packet, which he recognised was given to him by his late father-in-law.

Rushing to check his box of valuables under the bed, Sim found several red packets as well as cash missing. A check by Sim of Nurfiyawati's room also turned up several empty red packets that belonged to him.

He made a police report immediately.

Nurfiyawati admitted to stealing more than $7,000 in total. Most of the cash was remitted to Indonesia and the money has not been recovered, according to reports.

Pleading for leniency, Nurfiyawati cited her grandfather's ill health as a reason for committing the offences, stating that her family needed the money for his treatment. Her grandfather has since died.

According to Shin Min, her lawyer stated that Nurfiyawati was remorseful and had owned up to the offences when questioned by Sim.

Requesting for a lighter three-month sentence, he stated that she had also co-operated with investigations.

For the act of stealing, Nurfiyawati could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined, reported Today.

ALSO READ: Employer accuses former maid of stealing her jewellery, pretending house was hers

candicecai@asiaone.com