The newly-elected Dunedin city councillor said on the campaign trail that he previously held vice-president and associate director roles at numerous global banks based in Singapore.
He said he would use his "financial expertise and global capital network for real economic growth for Dunedin" and no rates rises.
But since the election, Cr Lee Vandervis has been openly sceptical, stating it was "not possible" Mr Ong had held such roles.
Mr Ong said he had held roles at Rabobank International, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank Sarasin-Rabo Asia and United Overseas Bank, in Singapore.
A Rabobank spokesperson yesterday confirmed to the Otago Daily Times it had previously employed Mr Ong.
"Our records show that Benedict Ong was employed by Rabobank Singapore in the mergers and acquisitions team from 2007 to 2010."
Mr Ong said Cr Vandervis had made "slanderous and false statements" against him.
"An apology would be the principled thing to do," he said yesterday.
"I understand Cr Lee may have a history of being unsuccessfully litigious, and I also believe I have a better understanding than Cr Lee of when one is in the right side of legal recourse [sic]."
Cr Vandervis last week told The Platform he "did some investigation" into Mr Ong’s credentials, but could not find any independent sources on Google or through AI-powered search engine Perplexity.
"So it’s not possible that he’s held these positions that he claims.
"It’s not possible that he’s had the work experience that he claims, and yet, somehow, he seems to have got himself elected."
Cr Vandervis yesterday said he had "no regrets" about saying publicly the claims made by Mr Ong "were not possibly true".
He asked to see the ODT’s source, as Mr Ong’s "supposedly high-profile vice-president position" had had no profile at all in the "extensive searches" he had carried out with both Google and Perplexity AI.
Cr Vandervis did not respond after being forwarded the statement from Rabobank.
He looked forward to Mr Ong’s "secret formula" to address debt becoming not secret, Cr Vandervis said.
"And if his formula can sort out Dunedin’s [DCC and DCC Companies] budgeted $2 billion debt, I will most sincerely apologise to Mr Ong for doubting his claim."
Mr Ong’s online presence is largely limited to social media posts.
The ODT has sent requests for confirmation to all of Mr Ong’s listed places of former employment.
Mr Ong previously posted to social media a signed statutory declaration detailing his banking career, as well as a document with a letterhead for the Royal Bank of Canada, which appeared to show he had held an associate director role for the bank.
"There will be the few that won’t be pleased no matter what was already presented," Mr Ong said on Saturday.
"I am focused on preparing to serve and to serve."
