Gold shop supervisor pawns RM176,200 in gold bars for cryptocurrency, gets 16 months’ jail

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 18 — Koh Mun Hoe, a 33-year-old former gold shop supervisor, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison with one stroke of the cane for each of two criminal breach of trust charges. The sentences are to run concurrently. Koh is accused of unlawfully pawning three gold bars and a gold chain at a pawnshop for personal cryptocurrency trading between June 4 and June 8.

The gold bars, valued at RM176,200, and the gold chain, valued at RM57,840.82, belonged to his employer. CCTV footage showed Koh removing the items from the premises without permission, slipping them into his vest pocket and carrying them out. The complainant, a HR manager at the facility, discovered the missing items. Although Koh pleaded guilty to both charges, he requested a lenient sentence due to his responsibilities as a father of two young children, his recent divorce, and the need to care for his elderly parents.

The court agreed to sentence Koh on the breach of trust charges related to the gold chain on September 22.