A Central Provident Fund (CPF) nomination note was found on the iPad of a Singaporean woman allegedly murdered in Spain, and the authorities there are investigating the origins of the Mar. 24 document.
Note found on iPad
Spanish newspaper La Verdad reported on Apr. 29 that the note stated that the deceased woman, Audrey Fang, had chosen to leave behind her CPF money to an unknown person regarded as her "long-time friend and trusted confidant".
The note was found on an iPad recovered from Fang's hotel room.
The note reportedly read: “I want to declare that my decision to name you in my CPF is because you have been a friend for a long time and my trusted confidant.”
The note also apparently indicated a “friendly loan of US$50,000 (S$68,000) based on our friendship in the past”, but it was not known who was the beneficiary.
CPF, a mandatory savings scheme in Singapore funded by employers and employees, can have its funds transferred as a form of inheritance to a chosen nominee or nominees in the event of death.
The money is distributed to family members via the Public Trustee's Office if no nominations get made.
Another discrepancy that was reported was that the suspect's supposed Ukrainian girlfriend failed to show up at his hotel room, despite the Singaporean man's claim post-arrest that she was going to meet him there.
Deceased bought investment-linked policies from Singaporean suspect
The deceased woman's family told CNA they were concerned that the Singaporean suspect, Mitchell Ong, 43, has been chosen as the nominee to get Fang's CPF money in the event of her death.
The Straits Times reported that Spanish police showed the note to Fang’s brother, who was not convinced of its authenticity.
The deceased woman's family will reach out to the authorities here to check if Ong was made a beneficiary for her CPF money and insurance policies, and if money had been transferred from her bank account, CNA reported.
The family revealed Fang had bought two investment-linked insurance policies in 2015 from an agent, Ong Cheong Yi, which matches the suspect's Chinese name.
They also cast doubt on the note as it was written with a U.S. dollar sign and it contained the word "Heya", both CNA and ST reported.
Fang, her family claimed, communicated mainly in Chinese at home.
The family members also found her trip to Spain alone unusual, as she was scheduled to go on another trip shortly after.
The 39-year-old Singaporean woman was travelling solo in Spain before she was found dead with more than 30 knife wounds on her.
A fellow Singaporean, Ong, 43, was arrested in Spain at the Eurostars Lucentum hotel in Alicante on Apr. 16.
Ong has declined to comment since his arrest.
But La Verdad reported that he said he was a "good person" when he appeared in court before a judge.
Ong was found with Fang’s mobile phone and €3,760 (S$5,480) and US$1,000 (S$1,361) in different currencies during his arrest.
If convicted, Ong could face 20 to 25 years in jail in Spain.
Top photos via Fang Dirou Facebook & Mitchell Ong Instagram