SINGAPORE - Former China tour guide Yang Yin, accused of manipulating a wealthy widow into making himself her guardian for his personal gain, no longer has any say over her welfare and finances.
Yesterday, Madam Chung Khin Chun, 87, succeeded in revoking the order she made in 2012, when Yang was living with her.
The order, called a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), gave him control of her assets, worth around $40 million, in case she loses her mental capacity to manage her affairs.
The revocation was confirmed by a spokesman for the Office of the Public Guardian, a day after the Family Court decided that Madam Chung, despite being diagnosed with dementia earlier this year, had the mental capacity to cancel the LPA.
The saga, which has generated a lot of public interest since news of it broke early in September, is far from over.
Yang is facing 331 charges of faking receipts at his music and dance studio. The receipts allegedly made it seem that his firm, through which he eventually obtained permanent residency, was a viable business.
Madam Chung's niece, Madam Hedy Mok, is also suing the 40-year-old Yang for abusing his responsibilities under the LPA.
But she is relieved that at least this battle has been won. "I'm happy to hear that the LPA aspect is over," the 60-year-old tour agency owner told The Straits Times.
She and her lawyers are currently trying to get her appointed as her aunt's deputy, which would allow her to make decisions on behalf of Madam Chung, under the Mental Capacity Act.
"Someone will have to take care of my aunt's affairs as she ages. She's got only two family members here - her sister and me," said Madam Mok.
"I'm fighting to help her preserve her assets and take care of all her personal matters. She doesn't want any outsider to do that."
Yang moved into Madam Chung's $30 million home in Gerald Crescent in 2009, a year after acting as her tour guide during a Beijing trip.
In 2010, she changed her will to appoint him sole executor and beneficiary of her estate on her death. Two years later, she applied for the LPA.
In September, Madam Mok evicted Yang, his wife and two young children from the bungalow and launched a series of legal actions against him.
