Serious Shanmugam v. Bloomberg Defamation Case: Bloomberg winning!

[Balls2U]

Correct. Bloomberg has no reasonable grounds to suspect Shan of selling his house for a favor or that money laundering was involved. Bloomberg's defence is that the article was not defamatory - their lawyer asked Shan to point out ONE single defamatory sentence, and Shan couldn't do that. All he said was that the overall tone is defamatory. LOL.

But Bloomberg's defence is beside the point. In the court of public opinion Shan has lost. Singaporeans are kiasi but not stupid. They can see through the charade. And what can they do to Bloomberg even if the court found Bloomberg guilty of defamation?

So Pritam was right in saying that the court of public opinion prevails over every other legal courts.

 

[shittypore]

If it's clean money used, why all the secrecy!!! Wasting Courts time!!

 

[superpower]

So Pritam was right in saying that the court of public opinion prevails over every other legal courts.

For elected politicians, yes. JBJ has been sued left, right, centre till he was bankrupt but has its affected his standing? The PAP always win, but they always come off as bullies in the eyes of the electorate.

 

[jsctan]

voting for oppo is not check and balance. Check and balance is between the judicial, executive and legislative arms of the govt. We don't have this.

By voting more in, it deprives the long ruling party to take all the ministries as some will go to the other parties MPs instead and the CS will know it has to be neutral and not 1 sided or politically influenced. The appointment of those CS will be by screening of all MPs and not just 1 party. . Then there will be no more collaboration between the CS & Politicians that is not in the interest of the people. Definitely balance in place.

 

[Papsmearer]

By voting more in, it deprives the long ruling party to take all the ministries as some will go to the other parties MPs instead and the CS will know it has to be neutral and not 1 sided or politically influenced. The appointment of those CS will be by screening of all MPs and not just 1 party. . Then there will be no more collaboration between the CS & Politicians that is not in the interest of the people. Definitely balance in place.

Your concept of check and balance is wrong. Go and educate yourself about it.

 

[joemartini]

Eric and Amy & Silk Palace's post
16Apr2026

Three Bombshells” Revealed in the Shanmugam v. Bloomberg Defamation Case

The Buyer’s Identity Unknown
1，The buyer purchased the property under a trust company’s name, but Shanmugam admitted he did not know who the real buyer was and confirmed in person that he had no duty to verify the buyer’s identity.
(Note: Shanmugam is the highest-ranking official in Singapore’s Anti-Money Laundering division under the Ministry of Home Affairs.)
2，The buyer named in the contract was UBS Trustees (Singapore), with the transaction completed through the Jasmine Villa Settlement trust structure.
The true buyer’s identity remains unknown.

All-Cash Payment Hidden Behind a Trust
1，The buyer paid Shanmugam S$88 million in full cash.
2，Shanmugam is unsure whether the buyer had paid S$57.2 million in taxes. In total, the buyer paid S$145.2 million
3. “3.22 Times ”More Expensive Than Comparable GCBs
4，Shanmugam sold his GCB for 3.22 times the price of a comparable GCB bought by Tan See Leng, located in the same prime area and sold in the same period, which cost S$27.3 million.
(Tan See Leng’s S$27.3 million GCB transaction was completed via a non-caveated method, with no public filing.)
5，That means the mystery buyer could have bought three identical GCBs for the same S$88 million, yet chose to buy only Shanmugam’s property.

So what’s so special about Shanmugam’s GCB? Why could it fetch such a high price?
1，The most special thing is that Shanmugam is Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs (and former Law Minister), in charge of the Singapore Police Force, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, and a host of other powerful departments, including as the top anti-money laundering official.
2，So, did Shanmugam “take the money and play dumb”? “I don’t know who the buyer is… my phone messages are auto-deleted…” Shanmugam’s excuses are endless.
3，So, do you think there’s something fishy going on?

Below is a comparison of the two GCBs:
1. Both GCBs were transacted in 2023
2. Location: Both in District 10, Singapore
Tan See Leng’s GCB: Brizay Park
Shanmugam’s GCB: Astrid Hill

3. Tan See Leng’s GCB has a larger area – approx. 28,000–30,000 sq ft (approx. 2,601–2,787 sq m) – purchased for S$27.3 million.
4. Shanmugam’s GCB is slightly smaller – approx. 27,600–28,000 sq ft (approx. 2,564–2,601 sq m) – purchased by a mystery buyer for S$88 million in full cash.

A quick fact: What is the average residential space per person in Singapore?

According to the latest authoritative market data (2023–2025):
· National average residential space per person (resident population): approx. 27–28 m² per person (approx. 290.63–301.39 sq ft per person).
· HDB (housing over 80% of the population): approx. 27 m² per person (approx. 290.63 sq ft per person).
· Private condominiums: approx. 30–35 m² per person (approx. 322.92–376.74 sq ft per person), and shrinking in recent years.

These figures refer to usable internal space (including bedrooms, living rooms, etc.), excluding public/common areas.

based on the above facts, Bloomberg raised questions about transaction transparency and money laundering risks.
Does that count as defamation? You be the judge!

 

[joemartini]

If it's clean money used, why all the secrecy!!! Wasting Courts time!!

if clean, normal money, why so much drama, probing, cover up-attempts, etc?

 

[eatshitndie]

The optics works against Shan. Even if he won against Bloomberg, he'd have lost in the court of public opinion.

There are only 2 reasons why anyone - even an extremely rich investor - would pay way in excess of market valuation for a property:
1. He's laundering dirty money
2. He wants a favour from the seller.

Generally, the rich they are, the shrewder they come as investors. No one in his right mind would pay $88mil + taxes for a property worth $30mil at most with little upside for appreciation.

can forget about “optics” in sg. this case may only interest 6.9% of the population from oppos to foreign (pro-ccp) operatives with an ax to grind against the pap. ask anybody in western embassies and none cares about this case. their eyes are on iran and the hormuz straits. ask anyone in the streets and hawker centers, and they go “huh? wtf? kong simi lanjiao? i have to chope table, queue up, buy food, and makan. prease mai ka jiao ok.” i’m now sitting at a cafe with lots of sinkies happily chirping and squealing away like birds and pigs, and the only forum where shan is mentioned is sbf. optics? what optics?