Leissner was key Goldman 1MDB banker, not Ng, defence says

PETALING JAYA: Roger Ng’s lawyer says Tim Leissner was the Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker who built "critical” relationships in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, not his client.

Marc Agnifilo told US federal court in New York Thursday (March 3) that was why his cross-examination of Leissner frequently touched on the banker’s private life.

"Our premise is that all of the relationships he has, they’re all strategic,” Agnifilo said.

"Tim Leissner was instrumental not just in his capacity as an efficient Goldman Sachs employee, but in having personal connections with people,” he added.

Ng is accused of conspiring with Leissner and fugitive Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, in a scheme to bribe officials in Malaysia and Abu Dhabi and loot hundreds of millions of dollars out of 1MDB.

Leissner, who pleaded guilty in 2018, is the government’s star witness against Ng, who he described as maintaining Goldman’s relationships concerning 1MDB.

But Ng has argued that Leissner, his former boss, led those relationships.

Agnifilo was arguing to introduce into evidence an email between Leissner and former Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd group CEO Rohana Rozhan, whose boss owned a US$650mil (RM2.7bil) stake in 1MDB.

Rozhan was also reportedly Leissner’s lover.

"It is relevant in light of Leissner’s testimony that it was Ng who had these ‘critical relationships’ to help these deals move forward,” Agnifilo said.

Leissner "was putting Ng in all of this when Leissner is the one using connections. Sometimes he uses intimacy,” the lawyer said.

The judge said she would consider whether to allow the evidence in and rule later in the day. – Bloomberg