Billionaire who brought F1 to Singapore charged in landmark corruption probe

Singapore Reuters —

A Singapore court charged a property billionaire on Friday with obstructing justice and abetting offenses by a disgraced ex-transport minister jailed a day earlier in the city-state’s high-profile government graft case.

Ong Beng Seng, the 78-year-old owner of Hotel Properties Ltd and the rights holder to the Singapore Grand Prix Formula One race, is accused of giving high-value gifts to ex-minister S. Iswaran, who on Thursday became the first former cabinet member to be jailed in Singapore.

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 dollars ($771,247) to deter graft and prides itself on its reputation for clean governance.

Iswaran was imprisoned for 12 months for obstructing justice and improperly receiving gifts as a public servant, with Ong a central part of the prosecution’s case.

Ong has so far issued no comment on the accusations. Channel NewsAsia said he entered no plea on Friday and did not indicate how he would plead.

Ong’s firm, Singapore-listed Hotel Properties, requested a trading halt early on Friday following Thursday’s announcement that he would be charged.

During Iswaran’s trial, prosecutors said the ex-minister received gifts worth more than $300,000, including tickets to English Premier League soccer matches, the F1 Grand Prix, London musicals and a ride on a private jet to Doha.

Ong was charged with one count of abetting Iswaran’s receiving of valuables and one count of obstruction of justice, according to the charge sheet.

Singapore's former Transport Minister S. Iswaran walks appears at the city's Supreme Court on October 3.

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