MACC recovers over RM23m in 1MDB assets between 2023 and this month

MACC in a statement today said that the funds and assets, which had been returned to the government, were recovered through forfeiture processes, including in courts, and voluntary surrender from five individuals.

The success in recovering the monies is the result of the tracking and recovering process of 1MDB funds carried out by its Anti-Money Laundering Division (AML) in 2023 and the latest on Monday (Feb 5), it said.

MACC said RM556,275.64 was successfully recovered on Aug 30, 2023 from Nurzahid Taib, a 1MDB officer who received 1MDB funds for the Maximus and Catalyze projects which were deposited into the account of Turquoise Coast Offshore Incorporated.

On Sept 29 last year, it said a total of US$972,251.25 (RM4,551,399.45) was returned voluntarily to the government by former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's special officer Datuk Amhari Effendi via wire transfer from BSI Bank Switzerland.

On Nov 8 last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the forfeiture of three condominium units worth RM7.05 million owned by Najib's foreign affairs adviser Mohammad Kamal Yan Yahaya.

MACC said the man had received the 1MDB funds through Magnolia, Maximus and Catalyze projects into the account of Spring Elite International Ltd at BSI Bank, Singapore.

"The three recoveries were made following the trial of former Goldman Sachs banker Ng Chong Hwa or better known as Roger Ng at the Brooklyn Federal Court in the United States in February 2022 for alleged complicity in the misappropriation of 1MDB funds.

"Following this, on Feb 5, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ordered the forfeiture of assets belonging to two associates of Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, namely Jerome Lee Tak Loong and his wife Koay Ying Ying, in Malaysia and Singapore worth RM11,753,785.81.

The commission added that between 2019 and to date, a total of RM29.03 billion in 1MDB assets had been successfully returned through MACC's cooperation with the 1MDB Asset Recovery Special Task Force as well as collaboration with foreign agencies.

-- BERNAMA