Ong Beng Seng set to plead guilty on Apr. 2 to charges related to ex-minister S Iswaran

Billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng is set to plead guilty for the charges brought against him in relation to former transport minister S Iswaran's case.

According to CNA, Ong's decision to plead guilty was reflected in an update on the court's case management system after the pre-trial conference on Feb. 28, 2025.

On Oct. 4, 2024, Ong was charged with one count of abetting Iswaran in obtaining gifts and another charge of aiding Iswaran in obstructing justice.

He is set to plead guilty on Apr. 2 and his bail of S$800,000 has been extended, CNA stated.

The charges

Ong’s first charge of abetment involves allegedly instigating Iswaran to obtain a trip to Doha with him sometime in December 2022, according to charge sheets seen by Mothership.

Ong is accused of making arrangements:

- For an outbound flight on his private plane from Singapore to Doha, worth about S$10,410.40

- Through Singapore GP Pte Ltd, a one-night stay in Four Seasons Hotel Doha, worth S$4,737.63

- Through Singapore GP Pte Ltd, a business class flight from Doha to Singapore, worth S$5,700

The charge sheet states that Iswaran knew the trip was done in the business of the facilitation agreement for the Singapore Grand Prix 2022 to 2028, between Singapore GP Pte Lid and the Singapore Tourism Board.

This had a connection with Iswaran’s official functions as minister and chairman of the F1 Steering Committee.

The second charge for obstruction of justice accuses Ong of intentionally aiding Iswaran to make payment of S$5,700 to Singapore GP Pte Ltd for the business class ticket from Doha to Singapore.

Ong allegedly instructed a Mok Chee Liang to bill the cost of the flight to Iswaran.

In light of Iswaran making the payment, the act was "likely to obstruct the course of justice”, the charge sheet stated

Iswaran jailed

Iswaran is the first cabinet minister in Singapore to be imprisoned.

The former transport minister was sentenced to one year's jail on Oct. 3, 2024, after he pleaded guilty on Sep. 24 to five criminal charges relating to him receiving gifts as a public servant.

Another 30 charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

His jail sentence commenced on Oct. 7, 2024, and after 122 days in prison, he was placed on a home detention scheme from Feb. 7 onwards.

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Top photos via Mothership