Spanish authorities find CPF nomination note on iPad of Singaporean woman killed in Spain: Report
The note stated that an unknown person had been nominated by Ms Audrey Fang as the individual was her "long-time friend and trusted confidant".
Singaporean woman Audrey Fang, 39, was found dead with 30 stab wounds near a parking area for lorries in the town of Abanilla in Spain on Apr 10, 2024. (Photo: Facebook/Fang Dirou)
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29 Apr 2024 07:32PM(Updated: 29 Apr 2024 08:11PM)
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SINGAPORE: Spanish police investigating the killing of a Singaporean woman are reportedly looking into a Central Provident Fund (CPF) nomination note that was found on her iPad.
According to a report by Spanish newspaper La Verdad on Monday (Apr 29), the note stated that Ms Audrey Fang had decided to nominate an unknown person for her CPF money because the person was her "long-time friend and trusted confidant".
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It also mentioned a loan of US$50,000 (S$68,000) that was provided to Ms Fang due to their past friendship.
CPF is a mandatory social security savings scheme that is funded by contributions from employers and employees. In the event of the person's death, these savings are given to the person's nominee or nominees.
If no nomination is made, the money will be handed to the Public Trustee's Office to be distributed to family members.
The CPF nomination note, dated Mar 24, was found by the Spanish Civil Guard on Ms Fang's iPad, which was left in her hotel. The 39-year-old, who was on a solo trip to Spain, had left her belongings in her hotel on Apr 9 and became uncontactable.
The following day, her body was found with 30 stab wounds about 150km away.
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Mitchell Ong, a 43-year-old Singaporean man, was arrested in Alicante on Apr 16 in connection with her death. He appeared in court on Apr 19 and was remanded in custody.
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VICTIM'S FAMILY CHECKING IF SUSPECT IS HER CPF BENEFICIARY
It was previously reported that there might have been an "economic" motive for the killing, with Spanish media reporting that Ms Fang had transferred money to an unidentified third person.Ms Fang’s family told CNA on Saturday that they were concerned that Ong may have been nominated to receive her CPF money.
They discovered that she had two investment-linked insurance policies that were sold in 2015 by an agent named Ong Cheong Yi, which the family was told was Mitchell Ong's Chinese name.
Her family said that they plan to approach the authorities to check if Ong had been made a beneficiary for her CPF money or insurance policies.
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They will also try to verify whether money was transferred out of her bank account.
According to La Verdad's report, the family questioned the veracity of the note found on her iPad, as the loan was written in US dollars, rather than Singapore dollars.
The note also uses the word "heya", but Ms Fang mainly communicated in Mandarin.
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LAST-MINUTE TRIP
According to La Verdad's report on Monday, Ms Fang's family said her trip to Spain was made at the "last minute", and that they found the trip "strange" because she had been due to fly off on another holiday shortly after returning from Spain.She last spoke to her family on Apr 9 and had arranged for them to pick her up when she was due to fly home on Apr 12.
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The Spanish Civil Guard said she was picked up by a car at her hotel. They later found that Ong and Ms Fang's mobile phones were together in Abanilla, where her body was found.
La Verdad reported on Monday that Ong had returned to his hotel in the early hours of Apr 10, before extending his stay from Apr 14 to Apr 21.
He asked if the hotel had security cameras and if they were working.
Ong also told staff he was expecting his "Ukrainian girlfriend", but no one showed up. The news outlet said he bragged about his lifestyle to hotel staff, showing them several Instagram profiles.
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A Spanish lawyer for Ms Fang's family told La Verdad that the family was still looking for answers and trying to find out her relationship with Ong.Prosecutors will seek a sentence of between 20 and 25 years if Ong is convicted, added the lawyer.
