Ex-Reform Party member apologises to minister K Shanmugam for false allegations made in TikTok post
Thaddeus Thomas made statements without foundation, ignored letter from minister's lawyers in hoping he would not be identified or reached
SINGAPORE — A former Reform Party member has apologised to Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, after publishing false and libellous statements about the minister having an extramarital affair. The ex-opposition party member, Thaddeus Thomas, also said he will bear the minister’s legal costs.
In a Facebook post published on Christmas Day (25 December), Thomas admitted that he had used his “thaddeusthomas81” account on the TikTok social media platform to post a video in August last year which purported to contain clarifications about Mr Shanmugam, his wife and an alleged mistress.
Ignored letter sent by minister's lawyers
Thomas also admitted in the Facebook post that he had ignored a letter sent by Shanmugam’s lawyers to him via Facebook messenger, hoping that the minister would not be able to identify nor reach him.
He finally replied to the lawyers' letter in November after reading a news article that Shanmugam had applied for court orders against TikTok to compel the social media platform to disclose information about three users who had posted false allegations of him having an extramarital affair.
“On Aug 17 2023, I published false and libellous statements in relation to Mr K. Shanmugam on my TikTok account," Thomas wrote in his Facebook post. "I admit that I intended to put up these falsehoods and acknowledge that those statements are false and completely without foundation.
"I regret my actions and apologise unreservedly for making the false and libellous statements."
Received advice, encouragement to put up libellous post
Thomas further explained in his Facebook post that he had received advice and encouragement to put up his false TikTok post, adding that he regrets listening to this advice.
He confirmed that the TikTok post, as well as any of its copies, have since been taken down, and he will undertake not to publish any further statements on the matter, or make any allegations to the same or similar effect.
"I have asked Mr K Shanmugam to not ask for any damages, and he has kindly agreed, despite my scurrilous allegations," Thomas wrote in his Facebook post.
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