Tycoon Ong Beng Seng pleads responsible in corruption case

[ad_1] Koh Ewe BBC Information, Singapore

Joel Guinto BBC Information, Singapore

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/5458/live/f4910670-70d7-11f0-84e9-2f51f7830b15.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/5458/live/f4910670-70d7-11f0-84e9-2f51f7830b15.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5458/live/f4910670-70d7-11f0-84e9-2f51f7830b15.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/5458/live/f4910670-70d7-11f0-84e9-2f51f7830b15.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/5458/live/f4910670-70d7-11f0-84e9-2f51f7830b15.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/5458/live/f4910670-70d7-11f0-84e9-2f51f7830b15.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/5458/live/f4910670-70d7-11f0-84e9-2f51f7830b15.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/5458/live/f4910670-70d7-11f0-84e9-2f51f7830b15.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="Getty Images Ong Beng Seng wearing a black mask and round spectacles. He is covering his mouth with his hand." class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures Ong Beng Seng is accused of giving costly items to Singapore's former transport minister

A Singapore-based billionaire hotelier has pleaded responsible to a cost related to a uncommon corruption scandal that shocked the nation final yr.

Ong Beng Seng has admitted to abetting the obstruction of justice by serving to ex-transportation minister Subramaniam Iswaran cowl up proof whereas he was being investigated for corruption.

Ong had been accused of giving costly items, together with tickets to the Method 1 Grand Prix and a trip on a non-public jet, to Iswaran whereas they have been engaged in official enterprise.

Ministers in Singapore can not preserve items until they pay the market worth of the reward to the federal government, they usually should declare something they obtain from folks they've enterprise dealings with.

At Iswaran's sentencing final October, the courtroom heard that Iswaran requested Ong invoice him for a enterprise class flight to Doha, after he found that he was being investigated.

The choose stated that he acted with deliberation and premeditation to keep away from the probe.

On Monday, Ong pleaded responsible on Monday for serving to Iswaran pay the Singapore Grand Prix for the flight ticket from Doha to Singapore.

The choose stated that Ong's sentencing could be held on 15 August.

Ong faces as much as two years in jail for abetting a public servant in acquiring items, whereas the utmost jail time period he faces for the abetment of obstruction of justice is seven years.

The 79-year-old can also be accused of abetting Iswaran in acquiring an all-expenses paid journey to Doha, stated to be price round S$20,850 ($16,188; £12,194).

The 2 males have been arrested in July 2023 and cost sheets revealed that Iswaran was gifted greater than S$403,000 ($311,882; £234,586) price of flights, lodge stays, musicals and grand prix tickets.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/7fa7/live/bfad7c30-70d8-11f0-a87f-6be1b9c00578.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/7fa7/live/bfad7c30-70d8-11f0-a87f-6be1b9c00578.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/7fa7/live/bfad7c30-70d8-11f0-a87f-6be1b9c00578.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/7fa7/live/bfad7c30-70d8-11f0-a87f-6be1b9c00578.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/7fa7/live/bfad7c30-70d8-11f0-a87f-6be1b9c00578.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/7fa7/live/bfad7c30-70d8-11f0-a87f-6be1b9c00578.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/7fa7/live/bfad7c30-70d8-11f0-a87f-6be1b9c00578.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/7fa7/live/bfad7c30-70d8-11f0-a87f-6be1b9c00578.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images Four men standing side by side in front of an F1 race track. From left to right is Ron Walker, Mark Webber, Ong Beng Seng and Daniel Ricciardo" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Getty Pictures Ong Beng Seng helped carry the Method 1 Grand Prix to Singapore

On the time of the offences Iswaran was within the authorities's F1 steering committee and the chief negotiator on F1-related enterprise issues.

Ong helped carry the F1 Grand Prix to Singapore and his firm Lodge Properties Restricted (HPL) has manufacturers just like the 4 Seasons and Marriott working below it.

Singapore's lawmakers are among the many highest-paid on the earth, with leaders justifying the good-looking salaries by saying it combats corruption.