21 hours Ago
A former hotel worker who was familiar with the layout of the hotel, Lee was not invited to April's wedding but was able to slip away with two boxes of red envelopes when they were unattended. They are usually money boxes that guests put their gifts in this is a common tradition in many Asian cultures to show good luck and to support the newlyweds.
Gambling Binge With Pilfered Cash
The court was told that after the theft, Lee had spent several hundred dollars on clothes, and then lost S$12,200 in under four hours through gambling. He gambled the remainder of the money online at three sites and made 195 bets, over three days.
He was however only able to recover S$3,000 of the stolen amount after police nabbed him a few days later.
If Lee doesn't return the money he stole then 100 days will be added to his jail sentence.
Cultural and Monetary Value of Red Envelopes
In Singapore and elsewhere in Asia, red envelopes are a centuries-old tradition for offering blessings, especially at weddings and during holidays like the Lunar New Year. For many couples, gifts of money in a red envelope represent a symbol of good luck and can help offset the cost of hosting a wedding. Even online guides to what to give have to be updated annually to keep up with changing social customs and standards for where the event will take place.
It's not all about the money though, as the theft put a dampener on what should have been one of the happiest days of their lives.
