Ong Beng Seng was allowed to leave Singapore for a work-related trip against an additional deposit of $800,000

SINGAPORE – Property tycoon Ong Beng Seng has been allowed to leave Singapore amid ongoing legal proceedings in which he filed two charges earlier in October.

The 78-year-old, who appeared in state court just before noon on October 30 with his lawyer, Mr Aaron Lee of Allen and Gledhill, must pay an additional $800,000 bail to cover travel to London, Boston, Gibraltar and Spain for work and medical treatment.

Ong, who will leave Singapore on October 31, must return by November 9 and surrender his passport within 24 hours.

During his journey, he must remain accessible to the investigating officer and he may not travel with his bailiff.

Ong was already on $800,000 bail after appearing in court on October 4 over a criminal investigation involving former Transport Minister S. Iswaran.

The billionaire was accused of one count of aid under Article 165, making it an offense for a public official to accept anything of value from someone with whom he is involved in an official capacity, without payment or with inadequate payment.

According to court documents, the businessman allegedly induced Iswaran to obtain a valuable item in December 2022 by offering the then minister a trip from Singapore to Doha. The flight on Ong’s private plane was valued at US$7,700 (S$10,400).

Ong also arranged a one-night stay at Four Seasons Hotel Doha worth $4,737.63, and a business class flight from Doha to Singapore, worth $5,700, for Iswaran.

Ong was also charged with incitement to obstruction of justice.

He allegedly warned Iswaran that the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) had seized the flight manifest for the December 2022 trip, prompting Iswaran to ask the tycoon to charge him for the flight to avoid investigation.

Ong, the chairman of Formula 1 (F1) race promoter Singapore GP, was among a number of individuals summoned by CPIB over the Iswaran investigation.

He is known as the man who brought F1 to Singapore in 2008 – the first night race in the history of the sport. He owns the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix.

Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee and chief negotiator at the Singapore GP on business matters related to the race.

The two men had worked in the mid-2000s to convince then Formula 1 group CEO Bernie Ecclestone to make Singapore the venue for the sport’s first night race.

Iswaran, 62, faced a total of 35 charges, most of which related to Ong. But the Attorney General’s Chambers said no additional charges will be filed against Ong over the former minister’s case.

Iswaran was sentenced to twelve months in prison on Oct. 3 for, among other things, receiving a number of valuables from Approximately.

Ong’s lawyer had asked the court for a six-week adjournment on October 4, saying he needed time to receive instructions from his client.

Ong’s next court hearing is on November 15.

If Ong is convicted of aiding a public official in obtaining gifts, he could face a prison sentence of up to two years, a fine, or both.

He could face a prison sentence of up to seven years, a fine, or both, if convicted of aiding and abetting obstruction of justice.