Singapore property tycoon linked to jailed minister pleads guilty

Jakarta, Singapore - Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng pleaded guilty to one charge of obstructing justice on Monday, August 4, in a landmark corruption case that led to the jailing of former transport minister S. Iswaran last year.

However, both the prosecution and defence agreed to grant Ong judicial mercy given his chronic illness, and argued for him to be fined in lieu of imprisonment. He will be sentenced on Aug 15.

A second charge of abetting an offence was also taken into consideration.

Judicial mercy gives courts the authority to give a more lenient sentence in exceptional mitigating circumstances, such as a terminal illness or when imprisonment could pose a high risk of endangering a life.

The defence submitted that Ong suffers from multiple myeloma, an incurable cancer that affects his blood plasma cells and renders him immuno-compromised.

The case has been the subject of major intrigue in Singapore, a wealthy financial hub that offers ministers salaries of more than S$1 million ($775,000) to deter graft and prides itself on its reputation for clean governance.

Ong had informed Iswaran that his associates had been questioned and a private flight manifest with Iswaran's name on it for a flight from Singapore to Doha had been seized by the corruption watchdog during investigations.

This led Iswaran to ask Ong to issue an invoice through Singapore GP, promoter of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix, to bill him for the trip, which prosecutors say Iswaran knew would make it less likely that he would be investigated.

Iswaran was sentenced to 12 months in prison in October 2024, the first time a former cabinet member had ever been jailed in Singapore, on charges of obstructing justice and receiving more than $300,000 worth of gifts.

In February, Iswaran was put under house arrest for the remainder of his sentence.

Ong gave Iswaran tickets to English Premier League soccer matches, the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, London musicals and a ride on a private jet among other favours.

Iswaran was an adviser to the Singapore Grand Prix's steering committee, while Ong, 78, owns the rights to the race.

The billionaire stepped down as managing director of Singapore-listed Hotel Properties in April.

($1 = 1.2882 Singapore dollars)

(Reporting by Jun Yuan Yong; Editing by David Stanway)