Singapore court rules mistress can keep US$8 million after death of US lover in Hong Kong

A Singapore court ruled on Wednesday that the mistress of an American man who lived in Hong Kong will keep about S$8 million (US$6 million) that he had given to her.

James Eng Jnr, who died in September 2018 at age 76, had a romantic relationship with Lolita Tsang since 2005 despite both parties being married to others. Eng’s wife died in December 2011.

Eng had intended to grant Tsang, who is now 64 years old, S$8.5 million in October 2016, but a delay in the process resulted in the bank transfer taking place only in January 2017.

At the time, the money in the foreign currency call account amounted to only about S$8.2 million. This was likely due to the drop in currency exchange rates, said Justice Choo Han Teck.

Tsang, the claimant, sought to claim the shortfall between S$8.5 million and the remaining balance in the bank account.

At the same time, Eng’s daughter, Allison Nicole Eng, contested the validity of the deed as one of the alternative executors of her father’s estate. The defendant sought to recover money her father had given to Tsang.

Eng opened a Hong Leong Bank account for Tsang on October 25, 2016 after he emailed his account manager with directions to close his existing accounts at the bank and transfer the balance into the new account.

That account was opened in Tsang’s sole name.

However, the process was delayed because Hong Leong Bank’s compliance team needed information about Tsang’s wealth, personal assets, inheritance and financial knowledge or experience.

The team also required Eng to execute a deed of gift before he could transfer the money to Tsang.

The deed of gift was executed by Eng on November 7, 2016 and conferred an “unconditional and irrevocable” gift of S$8.5 million to Tsang, according to court