The High Court of Singapore has ordered Bloomberg News and its reporter Low De Wei to pay S$230,000 (US$177,874) in damages each to Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng for a defamatory article published in 2023. The judgment, released on July 14, 2026, by Justice Goh Yihan, found that the article falsely linked the ministers to a money laundering case involving a former employee of a law firm.
The article, titled 'Singapore Ministers Linked to Money Laundering Case: Report,' was published on August 4, 2023. It alleged that Shanmugam and Tan See Leng had connections to a money laundering probe involving a former employee of law firm Allen & Gledhill. The ministers denied the claims and filed defamation suits in September 2023.
In his ruling, Justice Goh stated that the article contained 'serious and baseless allegations' that damaged the ministers' reputations. He awarded S$230,000 to each minister, noting that Bloomberg and Low De Wei had not issued a full apology or retraction. The court also ordered the defendants to pay costs.
Bloomberg News has said it is considering an appeal. The case highlights Singapore's strict defamation laws, which have been used by several political figures to sue foreign media outlets. The ministers have stated that the damages will be donated to charity.
