A 67-year-old Malaysian man has been convicted for sexually abusing a child aboard Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, as reported by authorities. Lay Ong faced a federal jury on Oct. 23 and was found guilty of abusive sexual contact of a minor, an incident that occurred on a cruise ship headed to Miami, NBC Miami released today.
The details of the case, which involve an unsettling encounter with two young boys aged 7 and 9, were outlined in an arrest affidavit after the boys were approached by Ong while playing outside their cabin, Ong had initiated a conversation with the boys asked them their age and if they were "boys or girls," then proceeded to say "let me check" before squeezing the younger boy's genital area, as described in the affidavit and later affirmed by the conviction – the boys had promptly reported this to their parents who wasted no time in notifying the ship's security, this led to an investigation where the security cameras corroborated the children’s testimony which clearly showed the encounter. Sentencing is on the horizon for Ong, with a date set for Jan. 21, 2026, where he faces the possibility of a life sentence and subsequent deportation, according to Local10.
"Abusing a child is an unforgivable act," said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, in a statement obtained by NBC Miami, insisting that the verdict serves as a testament to the unwavering effort to protect young victims and hold abusers accountable. Ong claimed he was only “playing” with the boys and touched their stomachs, not their groin. Despite this, a federal jury found him guilty, highlighting the seriousness of the crime.
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