Audrey Fang designated Mitchell Ong as her sole Central Provident Fund (CPF) beneficiary just six months before he allegedly murdered her in Spain.
Source: AGENCIA EFE on YouTube
During the same period, she deposited nearly S$200,000 into her CPF accounts for investment purposes, The Straits Times (ST) reported.
The revelation that Ong was named as Ms Fang’s CPF beneficiary in June has stunned her family, as the nature of their relationship remains unclear.
However, the CPF Board has stated that Ong will not be entitled to Ms Fang’s CPF savings if he is convicted of her murder.
Benjamin Fang, Ms Fang’s brother, told ST that the CPF Board had confirmed the nomination was completed in person on 4 Oct 2023 at a CPF service centre.
He also noted that around the same time, Ms Fang had deposited a significant amount of money into her CPF accounts for investment-linked products.
The family was “very shocked and sad” to discover that the suspect was her beneficiary.
Mr Fang found this particularly unusual as Ms Fang, who lived in the same flat with him and their father and was close to the family, never spoke about Ong.
Source: Fang Dirou on Facebook
Given these circumstances, the family plans to contest the nomination once more details emerge.
ST also contacted AIA Singapore to inquire whether the insurer is investigating if Ong is a beneficiary of Ms Fang’s insurance policies.
A spokesperson declined to comment, citing “confidentiality reasons,” but assured that they are assisting the relevant authorities regarding the matter.
Furthermore, Mr Fang discovered letters from AIA among his sister’s belongings indicating that Ong had sold her insurance policies in 2015.
Mr Fang recalled Ms Fang mentioning that her insurance agent was investing her CPF for her.
While he isn’t sure if the agent was Ong, he said it seemed “likely”.
Source: Google Maps, for illustration purposes only
The CPF Board has informed Mr Fang that it will withhold the distribution of his sister’s CPF savings until the case concludes.
They also assured that Ong would not be able to receive Ms Fang’s CPF savings if he is convicted of her murder.
News of the CPF nomination surfaced earlier this month after a Spanish judge requested financial information about Ms Fang and Ong.
Ong, who has refused to give a statement, is currently in pre-trial detention in Spain.
Spanish police initially suspected an economic motive for the murder after finding a note on Ms Fang’s iPad.
The note mentioned a decision to name a “long-time friend and trusted confidant” as the recipient of her CPF savings in the event of her death.
Additionally, the note indicated a “friendly loan of US$50,000 (S$68,000) based on our friendship in the past”, separate from the CPF nomination.
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Featured image adapted from Fang Dirou on Facebook and Mitchell Ong on Instagram.
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