Dicaprio ‘used dirty money to make film’

UNITED STATES: Leonardo DiCaprio has promised to return money that was allegedly embezzled from a Malaysian government fund and used to make The Wolf of Wall Street.

The Oscar-winning film star ‘‘is co-operating with the US government’’ in its investigation of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state investment company founded by Najib Razak, the country’s prime minister. Najib vehemently denies claims that hundreds of millions of dollars were stolen from the fund and laundered.

US justice department documents allege that money from 1MDB was used to fund The Wolf of Wall Street, which DiCaprio produced and starred in.

‘‘This is a case where life imitated art,’’ Leslie Caldwell, the US assistant attorney-general, said in July as he announced the government’s intention to seize assets including properties in Manhattan and Beverly Hills, impressionist paintings and a private jet. ‘‘The associates of these corrupt 1MDB officials are alleged to have used some of the illicit proceeds of their fraud scheme to fund the production of The Wolf of Wall Street, a movie about a corrupt stockbroker who tried to hide his own illicit profits in a perceived foreign safe haven. But whether corrupt officials try to hide stolen assets across international borders or behind the silver screen, the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that there is no safe haven.’’

A spokesman for DiCaprio said that on learning of the allegations the actor ‘‘immediately had his representatives reach out to the Department of Justice to determine whether he or ... the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF) ever received any gifts or charitable donations directly or indirectly related to these parties, and if so, to return those gifts or donations as soon as possible.’’ The Times