High living with ill-gotten gains
MACC on trail of RM24mil finds that suspects bought mostly expensive products
PUTRAJAYA: The tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd (PCSB) is found to have been used to make high-end purchases.
This was discovered by anti-graft officers as they traced the over RM23mil paid by PCSB to a company with which it had dealings.
Sources said the money was split among the suspects who bought houses, two high-powered motorcycles and five cars, all paid for in cash.
They also found that a substantial amount was invested in foreign currencies and holidays overseas.
“At least 21 branded watches and 11 designer handbags have been seized.
“On top of that, more than 20 bank accounts and RM40,000 in 13 foreign currencies were also confis- cated,” said a source.
It is learnt all the items were seized after three more people were picked up to assist in the graft probe.
They include a former PCSB executive and his father-in-law, aged 40 and 65 respectively, who were detained at their home in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, on Thursday night.
A third suspect, aged 53, who was summoned to the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here yesterday for questioning was also arrested.
He is the husband of a company director, who was picked up earlier to assist in the case.
Magistrate Nik Esfahanie Tasnim Wan Abd Rahman allowed the MACC’s request for the three to be remanded for one week.
This brings to six, those detained by the authorities so far in this case.
On Tuesday, the MACC arrested three people – a 45-year-old PCSB project delivery manager, a 53-yearold director and a 28-year-old former technical assistant of PCSB.
All six are under probe for allegedly having collaborated in submitting three falsified invoices between April and June 2015 amounting to US$5.56mil (RM23.9mil).
The invoices were inflated amounts for a drilling rig project but no work was ever carried out.
PCSB, however, made full payment to the company.
Following an internal investigation on suspicion of fraud, Petronas reported the matter to the MACC to carry out a thorough probe.
Petronas also said it would cooperate fully with the MACC.