KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has instructed Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor to file her defence by July 4 in a lawsuit filed by 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) to recover US$346mil that is said to have been misused in the purchase of luxury goods.
High Court deputy registrar S. Malarselvi also ordered 1MDB, as the plaintiff, to file their statement of claim before June 4.
The deadlines were fixed during case management here on Friday (May 24).
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On May 9, 1MDB, together with SRC International Sdn Bhd and nine subsidiaries, filed a lawsuit against Rosmah seeking US$364mil.
The plaintiffs claimed that Rosmah, the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had used the funds from the companies to purchase luxury items such as jewellery, watches and handbags.
Other plaintiffs besides 1MDB and SRC are 1MDB Energy Holdings Ltd, 1MDB Energy Ltd, 1MDB Energy (Langat) Ltd, and Global Diversified Investment Company Ltd (formerly 1MDB Global Investments Ltd).
Other plaintiffs are Affinity Equity International Partners Ltd, Alsen Chance Holdings Ltd, Blackrock Commodities (Global) Ltd, Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners Ltd and Brightstone Jewellery Ltd.
The plaintiffs named Rosmah the first defendant and Shabnam Naraindas Daswani (also known as Natasha Mirpuri) the second defendant.
They claim that Shabnam, a Singapore-based fashion designer, purchased or procured luxury items on behalf of Rosmah.
The plaintiffs claim that funds from 1MDB and its subsidiaries were channelled to various offshore entities—including Affinity Equity, Alsen Chance, Blackrock Commodities, Blackstone Asia, and Brightstone Jewellery—before being paid to 48 different vendors based in 14 jurisdictions for the luxury goods.
"A total of 320 such payments totalling US$346,010,489 were made," the plaintiffs stated.
They further claim the goods sought were “traceable substitutes” of 1MDB and its subsidiaries’ trust property. Thus, the plaintiffs have an equitable proprietary interest in the luxury goods.
They are seeking a court declaration that they have an equitable proprietary interest in the goods and traceable proceeds in Rosmah's hands, as well as an order for Rosmah to pay the first until the sixth plaintiffs US$346mil.
Case management is fixed on June 14.
