Billionaire property magnate, Ong Beng Seng, admitted on Monday to a charge of abetting obstruction of justice in a high-profile corruption case that led to the conviction of Singapore’s former transport minister, S. Iswaran.
During court proceedings, it was revealed that the 79-year-old businessman would not face jail time due to his deteriorating health.
Both the prosecution and defence jointly requested judicial mercy—a legal provision permitting reduced sentences in cases with exceptional mitigating factors.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 15.
A second charge related to abetting an offence was also presented but will be taken into consideration during sentencing.
Ong’s legal team disclosed that he is suffering from multiple myeloma, a type of incurable blood cancer that weakens the immune system. They argued that imprisonment would pose a serious threat to his life.
The case has attracted widespread public interest in Singapore, a country known for its zero-tolerance approach to corruption. The city-state, a major financial hub, is noted for offering cabinet ministers salaries exceeding S$1 million (US$775,000) annually to deter graft and uphold good governance.
Investigations revealed that Ong had tipped off Iswaran during an active probe by informing him that authorities had obtained a flight manifest showing Iswaran’s name on a private jet trip to Doha.
Following the tip-off, Iswaran reportedly asked Ong to issue an invoice for the journey through Singapore GP—the company behind the country’s Formula 1 Grand Prix—in what prosecutors described as an effort to fabricate a legitimate payment trail and deflect further investigation.
At the time, Iswaran was serving as an adviser to the Grand Prix’s steering committee. He was eventually found guilty of receiving gifts valued at more than US$300,000, including VIP access to English Premier League matches, premium tickets to the Singapore F1 race, theatre invitations in London, and private jet travel.
In October 2024, Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months in prison for graft and obstruction of justice, becoming the first former cabinet minister in Singapore’s history to be jailed. He was later transferred to house arrest in February.
Ong, who owns the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix, stepped down as managing director of Hotel Properties Limited, a company listed on the Singapore Exchange, in April.
