Malaysia Court Convicts Ex-PM Najib Razak of Money Laundering and abuse of power
A Malaysian court convicted former prime minister Najib Razak in a second major 1MDB case, finding him guilty of money laundering and abuse of power.
Malaysia’s High Court in Kuala Lumpur has found former prime minister Najib Razak guilty in his second major trial linked to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB state fund scandal, convicting him of money laundering and abuse of power.
According to reports the verdict was delivered on Friday, December 26, ruling that the 72-year-old was guilty on 21 counts of money laundering and four counts of abuse of power.
The court found Najib responsible for illegally transferring about $543 million from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund into his personal bank accounts, prosecutors said.
A judge rejected Najib’s claim that the case was politically motivated, saying the evidence against him was “clear, compelling and undeniable,” according to court proceedings cited by Reuters.
The judge added that Najib had abused his powerful positions as prime minister, finance minister and chairman of 1MDB’s advisory board to facilitate the illegal transfers.
The 1MDB scandal, which erupted in 2015, is considered one of the world’s largest financial fraud cases, involving billions of dollars allegedly siphoned off through a complex web of shell companies and offshore accounts, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Investigators in several countries, including the United States and Switzerland, have linked the misappropriated funds to luxury properties, artworks and Hollywood film financing, severely damaging Malaysia’s global reputation.
While Najib has been convicted, the court has yet to announce the final sentence. Each charge carries a potential prison term of between 15 and 20 years under Malaysian law.
Legal analysts say the ruling reinforces Malaysia’s efforts to hold powerful figures accountable and strengthen judicial independence after years of public anger over corruption.
The verdict marks another milestone in the long-running 1MDB saga, as Najib, already serving a reduced sentence from an earlier conviction, faces the prospect of extended imprisonment pending sentencing.
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