Ian Fang underage sex case: Victim's mum says she'll 'sue him until he's bankrupt'

The mother of the girl in the underage sex case involving former Mediacorp actor Ian Fang said she plans to launch a civil suit against him.

"I will sue him until he goes bankrupt," she told Chinese-language media 8world in a five-hour interview.

She added that if she does succeed in the suit against him, all the damages will be donated to charity.

The family will not touch any of Fang's money, she said.

"Coerced and lured" the girl

Fang, 35, was sentenced to 40 months' jail after he pleaded guilty to having sex with the girl before she turned 16.

He was 34 and she was 15.

He had sex with the teen on nine occasions between June and July 2024, mostly unprotected.

She eventually contracted the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually-transmitted disease.

Speaking to 8world, the victim's mother said Fang had "coerced and lured" the girl.

He used his celebrity status to "trick her into bed", and even asked her not to tell her parents after having sex with the girl.

"He told her to keep it a secret, otherwise he would go to jail. He knew very well that he was doing something illegal," she said.

She added that each time Fang met her daughter, he had an ulterior motive.

Hopes for harsher punishment

The woman said she hopes for a harsher punishment and that the authorities will review the case.

She added that he "must be caned", and that this would deter him from harming other women in future.

Regarding the verdict, the mother said: "I am very, very dissatisfied. He must be caned. If he was caned, there would always be a scar on his buttocks, so he can't go out and seduce others."

"He won't be caned and there won't be a mark and he can still go out and seduce others," she added.

Previously, lawyers explained that Fang was not caned as the victim was 15 at the time of the offences.

He was ultimately sentenced for sexual penetration of a minor under Section 376A(2)(b)of the Penal Code, which involves a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine, or both.

But the verdict might have been different if she had been below 14, a lawyer told 8world.

If convicted of sexually penetrating a minor under 14 years, he could have been jailed up to 20 years, and fined or caned.

If convicted of raping a minor under 14 years, while in an exploitative relationship with the victim, he could have been jailed between eight and 20 years, and received at least 12 strokes of the cane.

Conversely, if she had been above 16 — the age of consent in Singapore — Fang might not have been charged at all.

The mother also said she failed to understand why there initially was a gag order on Fang's identity, since making his identity known could have led to more victims coming forward.

Nevertheless, the woman intends to file a civil lawsuit against him and has engaged a lawyer.

She does not want to recover a certain amount of money as compensation, but merely hopes to sue him to the point of bankruptcy.

"He ruined my daughter's life, and infected her with a sexually-transmitted disease," she said.

"My daughter's first time should be with a man who truly loves her — not to such a scumbag, such trash, such an animal, such a wolf in sheep's clothing!"

Top image from Ian Fang/Facebook and Shin Min Daily News