They often say that ‘blood is thicker than water’, but for some, family members can turn out to be worse than enemies.
This was what an elderly woman experienced from her own daughter after the latter transferred S$130,000 (approximately RM440,000) in life savings from their joint bank accounts into her own.
Opened 3 joint bank accounts with daughter
Recounting the heartbreaking incident to Shin Min Daily News, a 73-year-old woman surnamed Chen (transliteration) said she had opened three joint bank accounts with her daughter in May 2021.
At that time, she and her husband had saved up to S$180,000 (approx. RM619,000) and previously placed it in their own personal bank account before transferring it to the three joint accounts.
When asked why she decided to open the joint accounts with her daughter, Chen said that she couldn’t remember why anymore.
73yo woman loses RM440K in life savings
On June 26 of this year, Chen received a bank statement showing that one of the joint accounts which originally had S$80,000 (RM275,000) was now left with just S$180 (RM619.27).
Sensing that something was afoul, she quickly checked the other two accounts and was shocked to discover that one only had S$61 (RM209.86) left while the other was completely empty.
All in all, she lost around S$131,000 (RM440,000) of her life savings, all of which were secretly transferred away by her daughter within a span of two years.
Daughter admits to act, cuts off contact
When Chen confronted her daughter over the act, the latter said that she had used it to buy raw materials for a frozen seafood company she had opened with her husband in 2021 and to pay their employees. She also promised to return the money when she could.
However, Chen’s daughter has since refused to pick up her calls and went completely off the grid.
Shin Min Daily News’ reporter tried contacting Chen’s daughter and failed. Surprisingly, a call was successfully made to her husband, who curtly told the reporter not to misreport the matter before cutting the call.
Family heartbroken by deceitful act
Chen’s oldest daughter told Shin Min Daily News that ever since the scandal broke, the family’s relationship with her sister had rapidly deteriorated.
She also revealed that Chen had worked 30 years washing dishes while her husband was a seafarer who spent many years saving up.
“My father’s health hasn’t been well for the past few years and now he’s bedridden. I never thought my sister would transfer their money away,” she said, adding that a police report was lodged over the incident.
She added that the family went public with the matter in order to force her sister to address the matter and return the money instead of hiding with her husband at Johor Bahru.
Watch Shin Min Daily News’ coverage here:
Such a sad story of how a family is torn apart by money. We hope Chen’s daughter will come to her senses and return the money to her!
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