3-6-2024 (SINGAPORE) Spanish media reports have revealed that the primary suspect, Mitchell Ong, 43, is listed as a beneficiary of her substantial Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings.
According to La Verdad, a Spanish news outlet, a court in Cieza received a report on May 16 from the CPF Board, confirming that the deceased, Ms. Audrey Fang, had named Ong as a beneficiary of her CPF funds.
The CPF is a mandatory social security savings scheme in Singapore, funded by contributions from employers and employees. Upon an individual’s death, these savings are distributed to their designated nominee or nominees. If no nomination is made, the funds are handed over to the Public Trustee’s Office for distribution among family members.
Shockingly, the report indicates that Ms. Fang, aged 39, had accumulated a staggering €340,000 (S$500,000) in her CPF accounts at the time of her tragic demise.
A spokesperson for the CPF Board stated that they have not received any requests from Spanish authorities thus far. However, the Board has disclosed Ms. Fang’s nomination details to her next-of-kin.
The spokesperson emphasized that the CPF Board would conduct an investigation if informed of any facts or circumstances that may affect the validity of the nomination. “For CPF nominations that are contested posthumously, CPF Board will withhold the distribution of the deceased member’s CPF savings till investigations are completed,” they added.
If the nomination is deemed invalid, the CPF savings will generally be distributed based on any previous nomination or in accordance with intestacy laws.
Spanish authorities have been probing the possibility of an economic motive behind the killing. Investigators uncovered a draft CPF nomination note on Ms. Fang’s iPad, dated March 24, stating her decision to nominate an unnamed person for her CPF money, citing them as her “long-time friend and trusted confidant.” The note also mentioned a US$50,000 loan provided to Ms. Fang due to their past friendship.
Furthermore, WhatsApp messages exchanged between Ong and Ms. Fang in October 2023 revealed Ong thanking her for naming him as a beneficiary of her CPF funds.
Authorities in Spain are currently analyzing hard drives belonging to both Ong and Ms. Fang, as well as Ong’s mobile phone, in their ongoing investigation.
La Verdad reported last month that the Spanish court had requested Singapore authorities to provide banking and insurance information pertaining to both the suspect and the victim.
In April, Ms. Fang’s family discovered that she had purchased two investment-linked insurance policies from Ong in 2015, while he was employed as an agent at AIA Singapore from January 2014 to February 2019.
Prior to this revelation, Ms. Fang’s family was unaware of the nature of her relationship with Ong and had expressed their intention to contact the authorities to determine if he had been named as a beneficiary of her insurance plans or CPF funds.
