Lawyer linked to missing $33m absconded to Malaysia in private hire car; found with stolen passport on him
The lawyer who vanished after more than $33 million parked at his firm went missing had left Singapore for Malaysia in a private-hire car on May 13, a district court heard yesterday.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicholas Khoo said police investigations showed that Jeffrey Ong Su Aun, the managing partner of law firm JLC Advisors, also disposed of his Singapore mobile phone when he reached Malaysia.
The 41-year-old Singaporean lawyer was later found with a stolen Malaysian passport which had been issued to a 43-year-old man whose photograph bore some resemblance to Ong. The lawyer was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation as to why he had the passport with him. As such, police believe he has the knowledge and means to abscond.
Yesterday, defence lawyer Jennifer Sia asked the court to release Ong on bail, stressing that he has a young son. But DPP Khoo highlighted the police findings and urged District Judge Luke Tan to not grant Ong bail as he poses a "high flight risk". The judge agreed with the DPP and Ong was not offered bail.
Police investigations showed Ong had left for Malaysia after he was pressed into accounting for unauthorised withdrawals of clients' monies by the partners in his law firm. Ong left Singapore in a private-hire car after making arrangements with a friend known only as Nicholas.
In Malaysia, he met one Dennis, a friend of Nicholas. Dennis initially took Ong to his office and the lawyer stayed there for two or three days, police investigations revealed. The accused then moved to a hotel in Cheras, Vivatel Kuala Lumpur. The court heard that Ong stayed at the hotel until officers from the Royal Malaysia Police arrested him on May 29.
The lawyer was brought back to Singapore on May 30.
He was charged with eight counts of forgery and one count of cheating earlier this month. Ong was in court yesterday to face 13 more charges of forgery for the purpose of cheating.
He is now accused of creating false documents on March 27 to dupe one Chan Yi Zhang into believing that more than US$4.8million (S$6.5million) held in escrow by JLC Advisors were present and unused in its bank account.
Ong's case has been adjourned to July 11.
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