Singapore’s Ministry of Health revealed on Monday, January 28th that confidential information of 14,200 people with HIV has been stolen and leaked online. The culprit is an American fraudster, Mikhy Farrera-Brochez, who was a polytechnic lecturer and held an employment pass in Singapore.
According to the Ministry of Health, the leaked records are 5,400 Singaporeans diagnosed with HIV up to January 2013, and 8,800 foreigners diagnosed up to December 2011. The name, identification number, phone number and address of 2,400 people identified through contact tracing up to May 2007 was also included.
Mikhy Farrera-Brochez lived in Singapore from 2008 onward before being jailed in 2017 for several fraud and drug-related offences and lying to the Ministry of Manpower about his own HIV status. Not only using his boyfriend’s blood to pass the test in order to work in Singapore, but he also got hold of information illegally from the HIV registry which his doctor boyfriend had access to.
For that, Mikhy Farrera-Brochez was sentenced to 28 months in jail in 2017 for offences including cheating and possession of drugs. Meanwhile, Ler, who is still a registered doctor, has been sentenced to two years in jail for abetment of cheating as well as giving a false statement to a public servant.
Due to the unfortunate event, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told reporters,
"Going forward, we will continue to strengthen and to review our systems to ensure they are secure, and our priority remains the patients' well-being and we will extend whatever assistance and support that we can for them."
He also set up a hotline for those who need additional information, and counsellors are also available to assist them and to provide additional support if necessary, he said.
In addition, the police said they are seeking the help of their foreign counterparts in their investigations. A spokesman stated that the police would like to remind the public that they will not hesitate to take stern action, including prosecution, against those who have breached the Official Secrets Act (OSA)."
Source: straitstimes.com, asiaone.com