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A senior Malaysian official, presumed to be former Prime Minister Najib Razak, has returned to the fore in documents filed by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) against the government. fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho and two ex-bankers scandal 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
The DOJ accused Low, along with two former Goldman Sachs bankers, Ng Chong Hwa and Tim Leissner, of conspiracy to launder money and to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. 1MDB state investment.
These are the first US criminal charges in the case that gave rise to investigations around the world.
In two counts of indictment, the DOJ described a "Malaysian official No. 1" as "a Malaysian national an official of the Malaysian government and the Ministry of Finance since at least 2009 or at least until the end of the year. 2009, until about 2018, with high-level power to approve the BDM's commercial decisions ".
Najib, who was arrested and beaten by 38 counts – mainly related to the alleged looting of 1MDB – led the ministry at about the same time, until his long coalition Barisan Nasional overthrown by Pakatan Harapan pact in May general election. [19659002] In 2009, he founded 1MDB, whose DOJ said that an estimated $ 4.5 billion (6.2 billion Singapore dollars) had been diverted by senior officials of the funds and their badociates between 2009 and 2014.
During an exchange with the former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner, Low, said that it was necessary to "suck" the 1MDB officials, including sending "cakes", that is, bribes to "the boss", according to documents filed by the government. In correspondence by e-mail, the wife of the Malaysian official No. 1 was called "The Lady".
Najib denies having committed a wrongdoing.
THE SCANDAL
In 2014, the anxiety had reached its climax.
The issue exploded in July 2015 when the Wall Street Journal released documents showing that Najib had received at least $ 681 million in payments. his personal bank accounts.
The DOJ then lobbied by filing lawsuits to seize some $ 1.7 billion worth of badets that would have been purchased with stolen money of 1MDB. As the charges escalated, Najib eliminated criticism from his government's BDMB, ended national fund investigations, and enacted a new strict security law.
The 1MDB scandal is currently under investigation in at least six countries, including Singapore and Switzerland. Singapore is the first country to indict and imprison bankers following the scandal.
BRIBERY, MONEY LAUNDERING
The DOJ indicted Ng, arrested in Malaysia, and Leissner's conspiracy for the purpose of constituting a conspiracy conspiracy to to launder money.
According to the lawsuits, Rosmah reportedly received $ 30 million worth of jewelery purchased with money from 1MDB, including a 22-carat pink diamond necklace valued at $ 27.3 million. US dollars.
Ng was also charged. The US government said the US government had agreed to violate Goldman Sachs' internal controls, which guaranteed about US $ 6.5 billion in bonds issued by 1MDB. The bond issue reported $ 600 million in commissions to the investment bank.
The funds were intended "for the benefit of the Malaysian people," but more than $ 2.7 billion went to kickbacks and bribes, according to the charges.
Leissner pleaded guilty and will pay 43.7 million US dollars in compensation for ill-gotten gains.
& # 39; PROJECT MAGNOLIA & # 39;
The whistleblowers say Low, better known as Jho Low, a Malaysian financial jet-setting close to Najib but without official stance – helped set up 1MDB and made key financial decisions.
As part of a program providing for a "Project Magnolia" bond placement in 2012 by 1MDB, Low reportedly told ex-Goldman bankers they needed to bribe officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi to ensure the smooth running of the operation.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes were then paid to officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi. After the deal, more than 500 million US dollars were diverted to front companies controlled by Low, Leissner, Ng and other conspirators, according to the US government.
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
A portion of the proceeds goes towards the financing of The Wolf Of Wall Street, an Oscar-nominated film in 2013 on Jordan Belfort, a corrupt stockbroker who been sentenced to prison.
Sheets, a front company owned and controlled by a "close relative" of the No. 1 Malaysian leader, was charged with making 11 wire transfers totaling approximately $ 60 million. about 20 June 2012 and 20 November 2012 to a bank account in Los Angeles owned and controlled by a "US Motion Picture Company # 1", partly owned by the "close relative", to badist to the production of the film.
The film, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was produced by Red Granite Pictures, co-founded by Najib's step-son Riza Aziz.
"GALETTES" OR BRIBES
During an exchange with Leissner, Low indicates that it is necessary "to aspire" the leaders of the 1MDB, in particular by sending "cakes", which means bribes to "Madam boss", according to documents filed by the government.
In an email correspondence, the wife of the Malaysian official No. 1 was called "The Lady".
The DOJ stated that Low had requested that the money be transferred from a fictitious company to an account owned by another company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in order to "solve the problem of Madame 2 ".
The indictment also indicates that Leissner was involved in the wiring of the United States. $ 1.3 million to a New York jeweler to pay the jewelry of the Malaysian official's wife No. 1.
Najib's wife, Rosmah Mansor, was formally charged with 17 offenses , including money laundering, early last month, as Malaysian investigators broadened their investigation into the 1MDB corruption scandal. She pleaded not guilty to all counts.
PINK DIAMOND NECKLACE OF 27 M USD
Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have also engaged many civil actions to recover badets purchased with some of the allegedly stolen money at 1MDB.
According to these lawsuits, Rosmah would have received for 30 million US dollars of jewelry purchased with money from 1MDB, including a necklace of 22 carat pink diamonds worth 27.3 million US dollars only.
York's jeweler met Low, the No. 1 Malaysian and the No. 1 Malaysian's official wife in a New York hotel on or about September 28, 2013, at Low's request, in order to show a necklace of pink diamonds that the jeweler had designed for his wife. .
About three weeks earlier, the pink diamond necklace was purchased for US $ 27.3 million, thanks to funds sent by a controlled and controlled company in a controlled manner by Low and other companies. conspirators, according to the indictment.
About October On October 10, 2014, Low, Leissner and others had bank transfers of approximately $ 4.1 million from BVI's bank account to the US bank account of jeweler from New York, especially to "pay some gold jewelry for women". of the Malaysian official No. 1, "he adds.
In May, silver, jewelry and designer handbags worth more than 270 million US dollars were seized in properties located in Kuala Lumpur and connected to the cities of Najib and Rosmah.
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