Bloomberg Ordered to Pay S$290,000 in Legal Costs After Defamation Loss on July 31

Bloomberg and journalist Low De Wei have been ordered to pay S$290,000 in legal costs to Singapore Cabinet ministers K. Shanmugam and Tan See Leng following their defamation suit loss. Justice Audrey Lim awarded each minister S$145,000 in costs on July 30, two weeks after the court handed down S$230,000 in damages to each on July 14. The total financial exposure for Bloomberg now exceeds S$460,000 across both judgments.

The December 2024 article that sparked the lawsuit

Bloomberg published an article on December 12, 2024, titled “Singapore mansion deals are increasingly shrouded in secrecy.” The piece discussed luxury property transactions and mentioned the ministers’ specific real estate deals. Shanmugam’s former Queen Astrid Park home sold to UBS Trustees for S$88 million, and Tan’s Brizay Park bungalow purchase for nearly S$27.3 million were named in the article.

Why the court found the article defamatory

Justice Audrey Lim ruled on July 14 that the article linked the ministers’ transactions to secrecy, opacity, and money laundering, creating a defamatory impression. The judge found that journalist Low De Wei either knew certain information was false or published without caring whether it was true. Lim also found Bloomberg demonstrated malice by removing the paywall, making the article accessible to a wider audience.

How the S$145,000 cost award breaks down

Each minister received S$65,000 for 6.5 days of trial proceedings at S$10,000 per day. Pre-trial costs totaled S$50,000 per minister for written submission preparation. Post-trial costs of S$30,000 per minister covered a half-day hearing on May 22. Justice Audrey Lim applied guidance from costs guidelines for trials in determining the award.

Bloomberg’s failed defenses and what comes next

Bloomberg argued the article focused on broader trends in Singapore’s luxury property market rather than the ministers personally. The company also relied on a public interest defense known as the Reynolds defence in UK law. Justice Lim rejected both arguments, noting the Reynolds defence does not apply in Singapore law. Bloomberg declined to comment when contacted about the costs order.

Final Thoughts

Bloomberg faces S$460,000 in total financial liability across damages and legal costs. The case reinforces Singapore courts’ strict stance on defamation involving public figures and demonstrates the high cost of publishing unverified claims about named individuals.

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