Yacht seized in multibillion-dollar graft scandal

JAKARTA: Indonesia has seized a luxury yacht on the island of Bali sought by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of a multibillion-dollar corruption investigation linked to Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“We have been inspecting the crew since yesterday. Now we are taking action since we have received approval from the court to seize the boat,” Agung Setya, director of economic and special crimes at the Indonesia’s criminal investigation bureau, said yesterday. Television footage showed Indonesian officials talking to the crew on board the moored yacht with the name Equanimity at Benoa Bay.

Setya said there were 34 crew on board. The official said it was not certain whether the US FBI would be involved.

A total of $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates, according to civil lawsuits filed by the DOJ.

1MDB is at the centre of money-laundering probes in at least six countries, including the US, Switzerland and Singapore.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up 1MDB in 2009 and served as chairman of its advisory board until last year. He and the fund have denied any wrongdoing.