US accuses ex-Goldman Sachs bankers in Malaysian corruption scandal



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US officials unveiled criminal proceedings against two former Goldman Sachs bankers for Malaysian sovereign fund 1MDB, stained by the scandal, raising new questions about corporate culture at the prestigious bank. investment.

The Department of Justice arrested former Goldman Sachs banker, Ng Thursday, Chong Hwa, Malaysia, and unsealed charges against Tim Leissner, another former Goldman banker, who has previously pleaded guilty and agreed to pay $ 43.7 million in restitution of ill-gotten gains.

The two men were charged with conspiracy bribery and conspiracy to launder money.

The Ministry of Justice also announces criminal proceedings against Low Taek Jho, an alleged brain and mediator of the Malaysian fund.

US officials claim that he is still on the run.

Goldman Sachs himself was not charged.

These are the first US criminal charges in the case that gave rise to investigations around the world.

The 1MDB scandal had a major impact in Malaysia, claims that senior officials would have contributed to the fall of the long ruling coalition in the May elections.

Former Prime Minister Najib Razak has since been arrested and charged with the scandal. He denies any reprehensible act.

The two men were charged with conspiring to launder billions of dollars from Malaysia Development Berhad, a sovereign fund created for the country's development, and a conspiracy to bribe officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi. in violation of the law. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Low, in a statement through the intermediary of his spokesman, maintains his innocence.

"Mr. Low simply asks the public to keep an open mind on this case until all the evidence,

Ng was also charged with conspiracy to violate the controls Goldman Sachs, which guaranteed about $ 6.5 billion of bonds issued by 1MDB, announced the US government.

According to the accusations, more than $ 2.7 billion were destined for bribes wine and bribes

Goldman Sachs, who collected $ 600 million in fees and income from three 1MDB bonds Detailed transactions in indictments, said previously to have received subpoenas and requests for information on the case from various governments and regulatory agencies

but has been designated as "financial institution # 1".

The GM said that Ng and Leissner had repeatedly bypbaded Goldman's control tools to fight fraud, adding that the company's "corporate culture," especially in Southeast Asia -Is, was strongly focused on the conclusion of agreements ".


The documents refer to a third unidentified Goldman official of Italian nationality. Banker Andrea Vella was laid off in October, according to a person familiar with the matter.

According to a project involving a 2012 "Magnolia Project" bond offer by 1MDB, Low allegedly told ex-Goldman bankers they needed to bribe officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi to ensure that the bankruptcy of the bankruptcy of the bankruptcy court. operation is concluded.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes were subsequently paid to officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi.

After the execution of the bond transaction, more than USD The government alleged that 500 million of the proceeds of bonds had been diverted to the benefit of shell companies controlled by Low, Leissner, Ng and other co -conspirateurs.

Part of the funds went to finance the movie "The Wolf of Wall Street". 2013 Oscar-nominated film about Jordan Belfort, a corrupt stockbroker who was sent to prison for fraud, the government said.

Ng and Leissner's efforts in this project date back to 2009, when they began cultivating a relationship with Low, who would have "worked as an intermediary for 1MDB and other representatives of foreign governments. "but would not have held an official position at 1MDB and would never have been employed by the government.

Ng, General Manager at Goldman, and Leissner, who worked Goldman's President and General Manager for Southeast Asia attempted on three occasions to make Low an official customer, but was rejected, because the leaders of the control group had "concerns" about the source of the person's wealth and felt that it would not be a "suitable" one.

At the time of granting the bonds, the two men concealed Lowman's intervention to officials of Goldman Sachs.

Leissner is free for a $ 20 million bond and pleaded guilty to a US judge in August at the Brooklyn Federal Court. He is cooperating with DOJ investigators, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Leissner's lawyers did not respond to requests for comment. Low is represented by Marc Kasowitz, a lawyer who previously represented US President Donald Trump, a spokesman for the DOJ said.

(This article was not edited by Business Standard staff and is generated automatically from a syndicated thread.) [19659028]! function (f, b, e, v, n, t, s)
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