1MDB: Police file criminal charges against five individuals including Jho Low

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have filed criminal charges against five individuals including businessman Low Taek Jho or better known as Jho Low over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, says Inspector- General of Police Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

“Bukit Aman Commercial CID had conducted investigations on 1MDB over various criminal offences involving financial transactions and they were submitted to the Attorney General on Dec 3.

“After studying the case, the Attorney General decided that police file charges under the Penal Code and Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (Act 613) at the Sessions Court in Jalan Duta here yesterday,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The five individuals involved in 1MDB charges are businessman Jho Low, Tan Kim Loong @ Eric, 1MDB business development director Tang Keng Chee @ Casey, 1MDB general counsel Loo Ai Swan @ Jasmine and 1MDB finance executive director Geh Choh Heng @ Terence.

Mohamad Fuzi said the five individuals faced 13 charges involving losses amounting to US$ 1.17 billion ( RM4.2 billion).

Jho Low faced five charges under Section 4 (1) (a) of the AntiMoney Laundering and AntiTerrorism Financing Act 2001 over receiving US$ 1.03 billion in the account of Bank Good Star Limited at RBS Coutts Bank Ag, Zurich, Switzerland between Sept 30 2009 to Oct 25 2011.

He and Tan were jointly charged with two charges under Section 4(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 involving losses of US$ 126 million they received via an account of RBS Bank Limited, Singapore owned by Acme Time Limited where the transaction involved the issuance of Islamic Medium Term Notes by Terengganu Investment Authority Berhad (TIA) in May 2009.

Tang faced one charge under Section 409 of the Penal Code (criminal breach of trust by an agent) on the transfer of US$ 700 million into the account of Good Star Limited owned by Jho Low.

He also faced two more charges under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 involving losses of US$ 6.7 million which was received in the account of Transnation Limited ( Seychelles) at RBS Coutts Bank Ag and Totality Limited in BSI Bank Sa, Switzerland respectively on Aug 5 2009 and Dec 23 2010.

Loo faced two charges under Section 4(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 involving losses of US$ 6 million received in an account of Falcon Private Bank Ag, Zurich, Switzerland owned by River Dee International Sa ( BVI) on Dec 6 2012 and on July 1 2014.

Geh faced one charge under Section 409 of the Penal Code (criminal breach of trust by an agent) on the transfer of US$ 125 million into the account of Good Star Limited owned by Jho Low on Oct 25 2011.

Mohamad Fuzi said the warrants of arrest had been obtained from the court and efforts were being carried to track down and arrest the five individuals who had fled from country.

“Police will be getting the assistance of foreign authorities and the Interpol to assist in tracking them down. If they were detected in any other countries, police via the Attorney General’s Chambers will seek their extradition to enable them to be brought back to Malaysia to face the charges in court,” he said. — Bernama