Ong Beng Seng, 79, set to plead guilty on Aug. 4 to charges related to ex-minister S Iswaran

Billionaire hotelier Ong Beng Seng, 79, who faces two charges in relation to former transport minister S Iswaran's graft scandal, is set to plead guilty on Aug. 4.

Court records indicated that the latest development came after a court hearing was held on Jul. 28 morning.

Ong, who is currently on bail, was initially expected to plead guilty on Jul. 3.

However, on Jul. 2, an Attorney-General's Chambers spokesperson told Mothership that the parties applied for the case to be adjourned to a later date so that they could file further written submissions on sentence.

Since then, several pre-trial conferences regarding the case have been rescheduled.

Charges faced by Ong

According to court documents seen by Mothership, Ong was charged in October 2024 with one count of abetting Iswaran in obtaining gifts.

He was accused of instigating the former minister to obtain a trip to Doha with him sometime in December 2022 and making the following 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 company owned by Ong, 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

Court documents stated that Iswaran was aware that the trip was done in the business of the facilitation agreement for the Singapore Grand Prix 2022 to 2027, between Singapore GP Pte Ltd and the Singapore Tourism Board.

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

Separately, Ong was also charged with obstruction of justice after he allegedly aided Iswaran intentionally in paying S$5,700 to Singapore GP Pte Ltd for a business class ticket from Doha to Singapore.

He was accused of instructing another individual to bill the cost to the former minister.

If convicted of abetting Iswaran in obtaining gifts, Ong could be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.

If convicted of obstructing justice, he could be jailed for up to seven years, fined, or both.

Top image via Lianhe Zaobao