Please note: One of Sinkapore's state-controlled media, The Straits Times, published a heavily abridged version on July 6, 2019. It omitted the mention of Sinkieland being used as a money laundering centre for Riza Aziz.
Riza Aziz claims trial to laundering RM1.25bil
By Khairah N. Karim - July 5, 2019 @ 10:27am, The New Straits Times
KUALA LUMPUR: Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, the stepson of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to five charges of involvement in money laundering activities involving US$248 million (RM1.25 billion), which were misappropriated from sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Looking calm, the Hollywood producer pleaded not guilty to the charges read to him before judge Rozina Ayob.
“I understand (the charges). I’m not guilty, I claim trial,” Riza said after the charges were read to him.
He was accompanied by his siblings Mohd Norashman Najib and Nooryana Najwa Najib in the courtroom.
According to the charges, Riza, popularly known as Riza Aziz, allegedly received proceeds from unlawful activities that originated from 1MDB amounting to US$248,173,104, which was transferred into two of Red Granite Productions Inc’s accounts via wire transfer.
Two transactions of US$1,173,104 and US$9,000,000 were made from an account belonging to Good Star Ltd at RBS Coutts Bank, Zurich, Switzerland.
The other three transactions of US$133,000,000, US$60,000,000 and US$45,000,000 came from an account belonging to Aabar Investments PJS Limited at BSI SA Lugano, Switzerland.
The offences were allegedly committed at the City National Bank, Los Angeles Main, 525 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California, the United States, and at
BSI Bank Ltd, 7 Temasek Boulevard, #32-01 Suntec Tower One, Singapore, between April 12, 2011 and Nov 14, 2012.
The charges were framed under Section 41(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which carries a fine not exceeding RM5 million or imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram offered RM1 million bail with two sureties and for the accused to surrender his passports to the court.
Counsel Datuk Hariharan Tara Singh, who represented Riza, did not object to the bail amount. However, Riza’s other counsel, Datuk K. Kumaraendran, requested the court for RM500,000 of the bail to be paid today and the remaining amount to be paid next Monday.
The judge said the accused could post bail in time as the KL Courts Complex bail counter closed only at 4.30pm.
“You can still try because it is still early in the morning. I think you can raise that much money by today,” she said.
The court then set RM1 million bail with two local sureties and for the accused’s passports to be surrendered to the court until the disposal of the case.
Riza, when asked by the court about his passports, replied: “I have no valid passports.”
Kumaraendran said this was because there was a travel ban on his client.
The case will be up for mention on Aug 9.
On Thursday, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) arrested Riza on suspicion of money laundering.
The MACC had previously called Riza in four times beginning July 3 last year to record his statement on 1MDB.
The 42-year-old is the co-founder of Red Granite Pictures, together with Joey McFarland. The company produced the Academy Award-nominated film
The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie.
The
Wolf of Wall Street is based on a memoir of the same name by former Wall Street stockbroker Jordan Belfort, who was found guilty of fraud and corruption, which led to his downfall.
In January,
The Washington Post reported that DiCaprio had provided testimony before a grand jury on the 1MDB financial scandal. This was part of the United States Department of Justice’s investigation into the case.
DiCaprio was among the celebrities who were allegedly lavished with expensive gifts by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low. After winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in 2014, DiCaprio thanked Riza, McFarland and Low during his acceptance speech.
It was believed that DiCaprio was presented with Marlon Brando’s Best Actor Oscar statuette for the 1954 film
On the Waterfront for his birthday and a US$3.2 million (RM13.19 million) Picasso painting, which was surrendered to US authorities after the scandal broke.
Hundreds of millions siphoned from 1MDB were also allegedly spent on high-end real estate in Beverly Hills, New York and London, as well as a Monet painting worth US$35 million (RM144 million), a Van Gogh painting worth US$5.5 million (RM22.6 million), a US$35 million (RM144 million) Bombardier jet, a US$100 million (RM411 million) stake in EMI Music Publishing Ltd and a US$250 million yacht (RM1 billion).
Source: https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-c...ed-riza-aziz-claims-trial-laundering-rm125bil
