Malaysia fines ex-ministers in 1MDB case
Malaysia's has demanded the brother of former premier Najib Razak and former cabinet ministers to return funds believed to have come from 1MDB or risk prosecution.
The country's anti-graft chief said it 80 people and entities, including politicians and businesses, has been fined for receiving money from the 1MDB state investment fund.
The head of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Latheefa Koya, told reporters the fines totaled about $100m.
We hope that by the time they receive this compound notice they will take it seriously and pay up"
She said the fines could be as much as 2.5 times the amount each person or group is accused of receiving from 1MBD. "We have opened up investigations for all of these people," Latheefa said. She added: "We hope that by the time they receive this compound notice they will take it seriously and pay up."
Funds were also distributed to companies, political parties and organisations linked to Najib's coalition, a list provided by the MACC showed.
She said that the largest single sum being asked for was 134 million ringgit ($32m) from an entity. Individuals who failed to pay their fines could face action against them by the MACC.
Former prime minister Najib Razak's brother Nazir Razak, who heads the country's second-largest bank, was among those listed. So was a former deputy minister, Ahmad Maslan, and the former chief of the federal land development authority, Shahrir Samad.
Malaysian and United States investigators say about $4.5bn was misappropriated from now-defunct state investment fund 1MDB, set up in 2009 by Najib. Najib, who lost a general election last year, is now facing multiple graft and money-laundering charges over allegations that he received about $1bn in 1MDB funds. He has pleaded not guilty.
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