Abroad
M'sian man, 67, found guilty of grabbing private parts of boy, 7, on Royal Caribbean cruise ship
He may be jailed for life and may also be deported after his sentence.
November 16, 2025, 04:31 PM
A 67-year-old Malaysian man was convicted in the United States (U.S.) on Oct. 23 after he was found guilty of sexual abuse of a seven-year-old boy while on a cruise.
According to a press release on Nov. 14 by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, Lay Ong had grabbed the child's private parts after approaching him and another boy in the ship.
Ong was a passenger on the Royal Caribbean ship Icon of the Seas which set sail from PortMiami in Miami, Florida on Mar. 29, reported NBC 6 South Florida.
Asked children if they were boys or girls, molested boy
An arrest affidavit indicated that Ong had approached two boys, aged seven and nine, who were playing in the hallway outside their cabin.
At the time, the ship was sailing in international waters.
According to NBC 6 South Florida, he had initiated a conversation with the children, and touched the seven-year-old's head and chin.
He then reached down and squeezed the boy's genitals, before walking away.
The boys later told the seven-year-old's parents that Ong had asked whether they were boys or girls, and said "let me check" before molesting the boy.
Ong's actions were recorded on security cameras on board the ship.
May face life imprisonment, deportation
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Ong was found guilty of abusive sexual contact of a minor.
He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Ong will also be subject to deportation following his sentence.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida said: "Abusing a child is an unforgivable act. This verdict makes clear that anyone who preys on a child—anywhere, and under any flag—will be held to account. We will continue working with the FBI to protect young victims and bring their abusers to justice."
Top photos via Miami-Dade Corrections & Unsplash
