Ex-China tour guide disqualified for assets worth 40 mln Singapore dollars

A former China tour guide, who is embroiled in a legal tussle over the assets of wealthy 87-year- old widow Chung Khin Chun which is worth 40 million Singapore dollars (29 million U.S. dollars), has been disqualified to inherit her assets, a local court said on Monday.

Yang, 41, met Chung as her private tour guide in Beijing in 2008. He moved to live with her in 2009 and later became a Permanent Resident in Singapore. In the lady's previous will in 2010, she claimed Yang as the sole executor and trustee and also the beneficiary of her entire estate.

The case has been under spotlight as Hedy Mok, the niece of the widow, sued Yang of taking advantage of her aunt last September. As Chung, who has no children, was diagnosed with dementia last year, focuses have been on whether she has the ability to make the will at that time.

The court on Monday recognized Chung's new will, which was made in December last year, to take over the previous one. Under the new will, most of her assets would go to charity, and Yang is disqualified to take over her assets.

Yang's lawyer Daniel Zhu said he has applied for permission to meet with his client next week for further decisions, according to Channel NewsAsia.

Yang has been in custody on remand since Oct. 31 last year. He is facing over 300 charges, including two criminal breach of trust charges for allegedly misappropriating 1.1 million Singapore dollars (803 million U.S. dollars) from Chung. Endi