Luqman Hakim Shahfawi, a 31-year-old former cabin crew member and complex leader with Scoot airline, has pleaded guilty to one count of criminal breach of trust. The charge involves the misappropriation of over S$22,000 in cash earnings from in-flight food and beverage sales. A second charge, involving nearly S$18,000, will be considered during his sentencing.
The offences occurred on 366 occasions between July 2023 and March 2025. Scoot has confirmed that Luqman is no longer employed by the airline.
Details of the Misappropriation
As a complex leader, Luqman's responsibilities included supervising other cabin crew members, collating payments from in-flight sales, and depositing cash proceeds into a safe at the Scoot office within 48 hours of each flight. Passengers had the option to pay for items with cash or card, with cash placed into "Brinks bags."
Court documents indicate that in 2023, Luqman lost two "Brinks bags" but did not report the incident to his supervisors. Subsequently, he began retaining the cash proceeds from sales after flights. This practice reportedly continued because supervisors did not confront him regarding the undeposited funds.
Financial Timeline
- July 2023 to March 2024: Luqman retained approximately S$18,000 in cash earnings from in-flight sales on 156 occasions.
- April 2024 to March 2025: He committed similar offences, retaining over S$22,000 in total, on 210 occasions.
Investigations revealed that the misappropriated funds were used to repay debts to unlicensed moneylenders. Luqman confessed to his offences, leading a Scoot representative to alert the police on March 20, 2025. He was arrested the following day.
His mitigation and sentencing are scheduled for February 3.