Indian-Origin CEO Loses Case to Recover $370,000 Spent on Ex-Girlfriend
A Singapore court rejected an Indian-origin CEO’s claim to recover more than $370,000 spent on his former girlfriend, ruling most payments were gifts.
An Indian-origin CEO has lost a Singapore High Court case after seeking to recover more than USD 370,000 he spent on his former girlfriend during their relationship. The court ruled that most of the payments were voluntary gifts rather than loans.
Chander Agarwal, CEO and managing director of logistics company TCI Express, was in a relationship with Felicia Lee from September 2022 until December 2023. After their breakup, Agarwal sued Lee, claiming that expenses including luxury purchases, overseas trips, a feng shui consultant and an executive programme were amounts she was required to repay.
The court rejected his claims, finding that Agarwal willingly spent the money while he was in a relationship with Lee. He had also reportedly given her access to his American Express card with broad permission to use it and previously told her there was no need to repay him.
Agarwal produced a handwritten agreement that he said documented additional loans, but Lee denied signing it. The judge also found his evidence concerning some payments unconvincing.
The court rejected his argument that Lee had deceived him into spending money by falsely presenting their relationship as genuine and exclusive. The judge concluded that Agarwal had been deeply infatuated during the relationship but became angry after it ended.
