The Equannimity (Source: freemalaysiatoday) Hanoi (VNA) - Indonesia on February 28 seized a luxury yacht on the island of Bali as part of a corruption investigation linked to Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MBD).
Agung Setya, director of economic and special crimes at Indonesia's criminal investigation bureau, told Metro TV that the investigation agency inspected the crew and arrested them as the seizure of the boat was approved by a court.
There were 34 crew on board, said Setya, adding that he could not say how the investigation would proceed. However, US officials have alleged the Equanimity was bought using money from the fund.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up 1MDB in 2009 and served as chairman of its advisory board until 2017. The fund is at the centre of money-laundering probes in several countries, including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore.
A total of 4.5 billion USD was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates, according to civil lawsuits filed by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) in the past two years.
In August 2017, the DOJ asked for a stay on its civil lawsuits seeking to seize more than 1.7 billion USD in assets allegedly bought with stolen 1MDB funds because it was conducting a related criminal probe.
Among the assets sought were the 250 million USD Equanimity bought by Malaysian financier Jho Low, named as a key figure in the US lawsuits.
Other assets allegedly bought by Low with stolen 1MDB funds include a private jet, a hotel and real estate in New York, and a 107-million USD interest in EMI Music Publishing.-VNA
VNA
