JHO LOW

Najib Razak denies charges of appropriating millions of dollars from a state-owned wealth fund.

A former Goldman Sachs banker has been convicted of bribery and other corruption charges accusing him of participating in a $4.5 billion scheme to loot the Malaysian state investment fund, 1MDB.

A former top banker at Goldman Sachs has testified that he and other corrupt executives at the firm built a “house of cards” to try to conceal an audacious scheme to ransack a Malaysian state investment fund.

Malaysia’s Appeal Court has upheld the conviction and 12-year jail sentence of ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak linked to the massive looting of the 1MDB state investment fund that brought down his government in 2018.

Former Republican fundraiser Elliot Broidy has admitted his role in the scheme to illegally lobby the Trump administration to drop the 1MDB probe.

A Malaysian court is hearing an appeal by ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak to overturn his conviction and 12-year jail sentence linked to the massive looting of the 1MDB state investment fund that brought down his government in 2018.

Elliott Broidy, a former top fundraiser for President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, was charged Thursday by federal authorities with violating a foreign lobbying law. Low, also known as Low Taek Jhon, was indicted two years ago by the Justice Department for allegedly conspiring to launder billions of dollars embezzled from 1MDB. In May 2019, the Justice Department charged Michel and Low with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and for making foreign and conduit campaign contributions during the 2012 presidential election. The document notes that Broidy, Davis and Person A "were unsuccessful in their efforts to have the 1MDB matters dropped or otherwise favorably resolved for Foreign National A." The same investigation that snared Broidy in that case led to the conviction of former New York state comptroller Alan Hevesi.

KUALA LUMPUR Ex-Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrived at court Tuesday for a verdict in the first of several corruption trials linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund. Whatever the decision in the High Court tomorrow, it does not end here ... after this, we will go to the Court of Appeal. Najib set up 1MDB shortly after becoming prime minister in 2009 to ostensibly accelerate Malaysias economic development. Najibs lawyers said Low used the donation as a guise to keep Najib from being suspicious of his plundering of the 1MDB fund. Prosecutors argued Najib was the real power behind 1MDB and SRC, and called the Arab donation manufactured evidence to cover up his tracks.

This decision is a test of the independence of Malaysias political institutions and the rule of law in a country that has seen this fraying in recent months, said Bridget Welsh, honorary research associate at University of Nottingham Malaysia. Muhyiddin was fired as Najib's deputy in 2016 for speaking out on the 1MDB scandal but is now beholden to Najibs party for its support. Najibs party is the biggest bloc in the current Malay nationalist alliance, which was formed in March after a political coup by Muhyiddins party toppled the former reformist government. Another senior member of Najib's party was also freed after prosecutors dropped 46 corruption charges against him. Najib's wife and several officials from his party and previous government have been charged with graft as well.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak wearing a face mask arrives at court house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, June 4, 2020. Closing arguments are expected in the first corruption trial of him linked to the multibillion-dollar looting of the 1MDB state investment fund. The High Court set July 28 to deliver its verdict that will be closely watched as Najibs Malay political party is reviving its fortunes. Prosecutors argued Najib was the real power behind 1MDB and SRC as premier and finance minister at the time. Sithambaram said the change in Malaysia's government didn't affect the prosecution's case and that there was no order for them to back off against Najib.

The yacht, originally called Equanimity and seen here in 2018, was subsequently renamed Tranquility and turned into a party venue for hire. The yacht, originally called Equanimity, was subsequently renamed Tranquility and turned into a party venue for hire. A separate listing on Camper & Nicholsons' website -- the broker handling the sale -- still lists the Tranquility as available for rent from 1.1 million euros ($1.23 million) a week. The 91.5-meter (300 foot) superyacht includes a large Jacuzzi pool, a sauna, a fully-equipped gym and a hairdressing salon, according to a 31-page brochure published by Camper & Nicholsons. In April, Jho Low's lawyers said the Equanimity was "owned by Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd," and criticized the "bargain-basement sale price" accepted by the government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed, in a statement.