The man, 45 and unemployed at the time of his death, was legally married to Vietnamese woman Dinh Thi Thu Hien, who disappeared shortly after registering their marriage in 2013, according to The Straits Times.

His 74-year-old mother, Kee Cheong Keng, who lived in his Housing Board flat, was unable to obtain letters of administration to manage his assets due to the marriage. He died without a will on June 18, 2017.

In 2022, Kee sued Hien to annul the marriage as fraudulent, seeking the right to administer her son’s estate.

She also hired a lawyer in Vietnam and published a notice in a Vietnamese newspaper looking for Hien, but she did not respond.

On Feb. 28, a High Court judge ruled the marriage was not genuine and declared it void, stating: “The state’s institutions and benefits (such as public housing and social services) lie open to exploitation should the sham marriage not be declared void.

“It would also be unjust to the beneficiaries of the deceased’s estate.”

The judge added that public policy required the court to nullify such marriages to prevent fraudulent spouses from inheriting assets.

The names of the parties were not redacted to allow Hien to challenge the verdict if she comes forward.

Kee stated that in September 2013, her son admitted to entering a sham marriage after being approached by “marriage agents.”

He was offered a deal to marry Hien for a S$3,000 (US$2,246) down payment and a monthly stipend of S$400.

However, shortly after the marriage, Hien stopped making payments and became uncontactable.