Woman fined $5k for cheating by posing as Marriott associate’s sister to get hotel stay discounts

Published Oct 06, 2026, 11:37 AM

Updated Oct 06, 2026, 11:37 AM

Kao Jane Zhao who pretended to be a Marriott associate's sister to get discounted hotel stays was fined $5,000.

Kao obtained nearly $3,400 in discounts, and she has made full restitution.

The American had pleaded guilty to a cheating charge , with eight other charges considered during her sentencing.

SINGAPORE – A woman who travelled to Singapore and claimed to be the sister of a Marriott associate to repeatedly obtain discounted room rates was fined $5,000 on Oct 6.

Kao Jane Zhao, 41, who obtained nearly $3,400 in discounts, has since made full restitution.

The American woman had pleaded guilty in September to a cheating charge involving more than $1,500.

Eight other charges, including those linked to the remaining amount, were considered during her sentencing.

In earlier proceedings, the court heard that she was in the US in 2024 when she went on classified advertisements website Craiglist and bought an Explore membership – a programme by hotel company Marriott Bonvoy – from an unknown seller for US$300 (S$380).

Kao knew the seller had falsely stated in the Explore membership authorisation form that she was the sister of one Michael Melendez, a Marriott associate.

She also knew that only Marriott associates and their family members could receive discounted rates for their rooms at participating properties worldwide by presenting the “Explore by Marriott Bonvoy Program Authorisation Form” at the front desk.

Such properties included Sheraton Towers Singapore.

Kao checked into the hotel on Sept 8, 2024 after presenting the form to its front-desk manager, falsely representing herself as Melendez’s sister.

She then dishonestly induced Sheraton Towers to give her discounted room rates to stay at the hotel for five nights.

After that, she extended her stay on four separate occasions for another five consecutive nights at the discounted rate.

Kao checked out on Sept 18, 2024, only to return five days later to stay four more nights.

In total, she received more than $1,500 in discounts.

During her final stay, the manager verified her authorisation form with his counterparts in the US and found that she is not Melendez’s sister.

The manager alerted the police and Kao was arrested.

Defence lawyer Gino Hardial Singh from Abbots Chambers asked the court in September to sentence her to a fine of not more than $5,000, adding that her conduct arose from poor judgment.

Shaffiq Alkhatib is The Straits Times’ court correspondent, covering mainly criminal cases heard at the State Courts.

发布于 2026 年 10 月 6 日上午 11:37

更新于2026年10月6日上午11:37

赵高珍假扮万豪酒店员工的妹妹，骗取酒店住宿折扣，被罚款 5000 美元。

高女士获得了近 3400 美元的折扣，并且已经全额赔偿。

这名美国女子承认犯有作弊罪，在量刑时还考虑了其​​他八项指控。

新加坡——一名女子前往新加坡，谎称自己是万豪酒店员工的妹妹，多次骗取酒店客房折扣价，于 10 月 6 日被罚款 5000 美元。

41岁的赵高珍（音译）获得了近3400美元的折扣，目前已全额退款。

这名美国女子于9月份承认犯有诈骗罪，涉案金额超过1500美元。

在她的量刑过程中，还考虑了其​​他八项指控，包括与剩余金额有关的指控。

在之前的诉讼程序中，法庭获悉，2024 年她身在美国，当时她在分类广告网站 Craiglist 上以 300 美元（380 新元）的价格从一位不知名的卖家那里购买了 Explore 会员资格——这是酒店公司 Marriott Bonvoy 的一项会员计划。

Kao知道卖家在Explore会员授权表格中谎称自己是万豪酒店员工Michael Melendez的妹妹。

她还知道，只有万豪酒店的员工及其家人才能通过在前台出示“万豪旅享家探索计划授权表”在全球参与活动的酒店享受客房折扣价。

这些物业包括新加坡喜来登大酒店。

Kao于2024年9月8日向酒店前台经理出示了表格，谎称自己是Melendez的妹妹，并办理了入住手续。

然后，她以不诚实的方式诱使喜来登酒店给她打折的房价，让她在该酒店住了五晚。

之后，她又四次以折扣价连续入住五晚。

Kao 于 2024 年 9 月 18 日退房，但五天后又返回并住了四晚。

她总共获得了超过1500美元的折扣。

在她最后一次入住期间，经理向美国同行核实了她的授权表格，发现她不是梅伦德斯的妹妹。

经理报了警，高被逮捕了。

辩护律师吉诺·哈迪亚尔·辛格（Gino Hardial Singh）来自阿博茨律师事务所，他在九月份请求法庭判处她不超过 5000 美元的罚款，并补充说她的行为是由于判断失误造成的。

沙菲克·阿尔哈提卜是《海峡时报》的法庭记者，主要报道国家法院审理的刑事案件。