Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Ex-Malaysian PM Najib Arrested Amid Embezzlement Scandal Probe

by VOA News

   Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been arrested in
   connection with multi-billion dollar scandal involving sovereign wealth
   fund 1MDB.
   Sources say Najib was arrested at his home Tuesday by agents with the
   country's anti-corruption commission. His arrest was in relation to a
   probe into SRC International, a former unit of the troubled 1MDB.
   The ex-prime minister is set to be formally charged on Wednesday.
   Najib is at the center of a probe into allegations of embezzlement from
   1MDB, which he created while in office. The U.S. Justice Department
   says a total of $4.5 billion was looted from 1MDB, some of allegedly
   landed in Najib's personal bank accounts.
   The scandal led to a stunning electoral loss in May of Najib's National
   Front coalition, which had ruled Malaysia uninterrupted since gaining
   independence in 1957.
   Since his ouster, Najib has been barred from leaving Malaysia and
   questioned by the government's anti-graft agency along with his wife,
   Rosmah Mansor.
   Najib has denied the allegations.
   Last week, Malaysian police announced they had seized nearly $275
   million in cash, jewelry and luxury handbags in raids on properties
   linked to Najib. The inventory included 12,000 pieces of jewelry, 567
   handbags, 423 watches and 234 pairs of sunglasses.The most expensive
   item was a necklace worth more than $1 million.
   Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who led the coalition that defeated
   Najib, has reopened investigations into the 1MDB scandal which his
   predecessor shut down.