SINGAPORE: A 50-year-old Indian-origin woman in Singapore has been jailed for 26 months for receiving stolen funds to the tune of SGD 298,000 for a friend she met on a social networking website.

Saniyah Kumari, an administrative coordinator and receptionist, pleaded guilty to six counts of a total of 13 charges against her in a district court.

The court on Wednesday heard that she befriended a person on a social networking website in September 2012 who identified himself as Steve Smith.

Smith claimed to be an American stationed in Sarawak, Malaysia, for a construction project.

Despite having known Steve Smith online for a short period of time, Kumari agreed to receive money for him into her bank account and then transfer the money to an unknown person in Singapore, according to a report by The Straits Times.

Smith told her he needed a bank account in Singapore to receive the money and needed her help.

Kumari was allowed to keep SGD 4,139 as a commission for receiving and transmitting the funds.