Singapore salon owner split profits with unlicensed masseuse, jailed 12 days

A 73-year-old salon owner in Singapore secretly collaborated with an unlicensed masseuse, sharing profits equally, according to Shin Min Daily News. The owner, who operated salons on the first and third floors of a shopping centre, employed a 41-year-old Chinese woman as a beautician for $2,000 per month. Together, they agreed that the employee would provide massages privately at the salon, charging customers $30 for each 30-minute session, and split the earnings 50-50.

However, neither the salon nor the employee possessed the necessary licence to offer massage services, as authorities discovered during an undercover operation. The business owner was caught when an unlicensed employee offered a massage to one of the undercover officers, prompting other officers to enter the shop for a surprise inspection.

The owner also admitted to employing a 58-year-old Chinese woman to provide facial treatments at the other shop. This led to three charges under the Massage Establishments Act, of which the owner pleaded guilty to two. The remaining charges will be reviewed by the judge, and the owner was sentenced to 12 days in prison.