Singapore: Man’s Bid to Recover $369,000 Spent on Ex-Girlfriend Denied
A Man’s Lavish Gifts and a Broken Heart
A Singaporean man, Chander Agarwal, has lost his legal battle to reclaim S$468,000 ($369,200; £273,260) that he spent on his ex-girlfriend, Felicia Lee. The High Court in Singapore ruled that the money was given to Lee "willingly" and without expecting repayment.
Agarwal’s Story:
Agarwal, the CEO of a logistics company, met Lee, a former flight attendant, on a flight in 2019. Their romantic relationship lasted from September 2022 to December 2023. The court heard that Agarwal had a pattern of showering Lee with expensive gifts, even before their relationship began. He would assure her that there was no expectation of repayment.
After their breakup, Agarwal filed a lawsuit in March 2024, claiming that Lee had requested various interest-free loans during their relationship. These included significant amounts for credit card charges, overseas trips, feng shui consultations, and life insurance premiums.
Lee’s Defense:
Lee argued that these were gifts given out of love and affection, not loans. She claimed that Agarwal lacked documentary evidence to support his case, such as any acknowledgment of receipt for the alleged loans.
The Judge’s Ruling
Senior Judge Lee Seiu Kin agreed with Lee, stating:
"The evidence before me clearly shows that the claimant, smitten by the defendant, had showered her with expensive gifts during their relationship. Unfortunately, when their relationship ended on a sour note, [Agarwal] became embittered and was determined to extract a price from her."
The judge noted Agarwal’s substantial means and expensive tastes, contrasting them with Lee’s relative financial modestly. Text messages between them revealed Lee’s awe and occasional reluctance to accept the extravagant gifts.
Citing William Congreve’s The Mourning Bride, the judge concluded that such intense emotions are not exclusive to one gender.
A Precedent and a Testimony
This case follows a similar lawsuit in early 2023 where another Singaporean man attempted to recover over S$3 million from his ex-wife.
