Suspect in Spain murder of Singaporean confirmed as beneficiary of S$498,000 CPF saving

The prime suspect in the murder of Singaporean Audrey Fang, who was tragically killed in Spain, has been confirmed as a beneficiary of her substantial Central Provident Fund (CPF) savings, amounting to S$498,000.

This revelation, reported by the Spanish media on 3 June, has deepened the investigation into a possible economic motive for the crime.

Audrey Fang, aged 39, was found deceased on 10 April in Abanilla, Spain, bearing over 30 stab wounds, among other injuries.

The suspect, 43-year-old Mitchell Ong, also a Singaporean, was apprehended by the Spanish authorities almost a week after the discovery of Ms Fang’s body.

A court in the town of Cieza disclosed that Singapore’s CPF Board had confirmed on 16 May that Ms. Fang had named Ong as a beneficiary of her CPF savings. The local newspaper La Verdad reported that this financial connection supports the theory that the murder could have been financially motivated.

Further investigation revealed a note on Ms Fang’s iPad, which indicated her intention to appoint a “long-time friend and trusted confidant” as the recipient of her CPF assets in the event of her demise.

Additionally, this note mentioned a separate “friendly loan” of US$50,000 (approximately S$68,000) that she had extended to the beneficiary based on their past friendship. The note was dated weeks before the murder and was discovered in a hotel in Jávea where Ms Fang was staying, shedding light on the potential premeditation of the crime.

In October 2023, messages between Ms Fang and Ong surfaced, showing Ong expressing gratitude towards her for naming him as the beneficiary of her savings. This exchange was captured on WhatsApp and reported by La Verdad.

Prior to his arrest, Ong had a professional background in finance, having worked as a financial planner for Manulife Singapore from 2011 to 2013 and later for AIA Singapore from 2014 to 2019.

The investigation also uncovered that Ms Fang had purchased two investment-linked policies from AIA through Ong in 2015, as revealed by her family to The Straits Times.

The ongoing investigation is also focusing on a substantial amount of digital data.

The Spanish Civil Guard is currently analyzing a terabyte worth of data from hard drives and mobile devices belonging to both Ong and Ms Fang. Their findings and the evidence gathered from telephone operators and surveillance footage have led the court to conclude there is compelling evidence implicating Ong in Ms Fang’s murder.

As the investigation into Audrey Fang’s murder continues, the Spanish judiciary is actively seeking further financial information from Singapore. This inquiry aims to uncover deeper economic connections between Fang and the suspect, Mitchell Ong, potentially clarifying the motives behind this tragic event.