Former national athlete jailed two weeks for misusing over S$4,600 in training camp fees
A former Singaporean national athlete has been sentenced to two weeks in prison after pleading guilty to criminal breach of trust involving over S$4,000 intended for overseas training camps.
- A former Singaporean national athlete pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal breach of trust while serving as the chairperson of canoe slalom.
- She falsely informed parents that fees were required for training camps in Thailand despite being notified that the host provided facilities for free.
- Although full restitution was made to the affected families, the court imposed a two-week custodial sentence following an investigation by the Singapore Canoe Federation.
SINGAPORE: The State Courts of Singapore have sentenced a former national canoeing athlete to two weeks in prison for misappropriating funds intended for athlete training.
According to the Straits Times, Jessica Gwee Shou-Fung, aged 44, pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal breach of trust on 6 April 2026.
At the time of the offences, Gwee held the voluntary position of chairperson for the sport of canoe slalom under the Singapore Canoe Federation (SCF).
Gwee had previously served in this capacity between 2016 and 2019 before returning in 2023.
Her return to the role was specifically intended to prepare the national team for representation at the 2025 South East Asian (SEA) Games.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jonathan Tan noted that Gwee’s involvement with the federation was entirely voluntary and she received no salary.
In early 2025, Gwee began exploring overseas training opportunities for athletes.
On 3 February 2025, the SCF received an invitation from the Rowing and Canoeing Association of Thailand for training camps located in Pattaya, Thailand.
The invitation explicitly stated that accommodation, airport transfers, and boat rentals would be provided free of charge for South East Asian teams.
This correspondence was forwarded to the official canoe slalom email address, which was under the sole control of Gwee.
Two days later, Gwee responded to the Thai organisers to confirm interest and submitted the required forms.
However, Gwee provided conflicting information to the parents of the participating athletes, claiming that various costs were associated with the camps.
Gwee instructed the parents to transfer the purported fees into her personal bank account.
She claimed this was necessary to facilitate the conversion of the funds into Thai baht to cover team expenses while abroad.
On 5 February 2025, one parent transferred S$2,260 to Gwee’s account.
Two days later, a second parent paid S$2,400. Both parents believed these payments were mandatory requirements for their children to participate in the Thailand training programme.
The discrepancy came to light approximately one month later.
The SCF received complaints alleging that Gwee was collecting funds in excess of actual costs for overseas events. Following these reports, an investigation into Gwee’s conduct was initiated.
Court documents did not specify the identity of the individuals who lodged the initial complaints.
Following the commencement of the investigation, Gwee made full restitution to both parents for the S$4,660 she had collected under false pretences.
Under Singaporean law, the maximum penalty for criminal breach of trust is a prison term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.
The court determined that a custodial sentence was appropriate despite the voluntary nature of her service.
