A former air steward for budget airline Scoot has been charged in court for embezzling nearly S$40,000 (approximately RM126,000) in cash from in-flight food and drink sales over a period of nearly two years.
The thefts occurred on over 366 occasions between July 2023 and March 2025 before the 29-year-old, Luqman Hakim Shahfawi, admitted to his crimes, The Straits Times reported.
Luqman, a senior crew member responsible for overseeing junior staff, was tasked with tallying sales and returns at the end of each flight and recording them in Scoot’s software system. He was also required to deposit the cash-filled “Brinks bags” into a safe within 48 hours.
According to court proceedings, Luqman began his theft spree in 2023 after misplacing two Brinks bags. Fearing inquiries from his superiors, he continued to steal cash from subsequent bags rather than reporting the loss.
From July 2023 to March 2024, he embezzled nearly S$18,000 (approx. RM56,800) over 156 incidents. Between April 2024 and March 2025, he stole an additional S$22,000 (approx. RM69,400) on 210 occasions. Court documents revealed that he used the stolen money to repay debts owed to loan sharks (‘Ah Longs’).
Luqman was arrested on March 20, 2025, following his confession. He has pleaded guilty to one count of criminal breach of trust concerning the S$22,000, while the charge related to the earlier S$18,000 will be taken into account during his sentencing scheduled for February 3.
