PUTRAJAYA: A syndicate suspected of engaging in corrupt activities and money laundering, which included a financial consulting firm and officers from several financial institutions, has been crippled.
It is learnt that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) carried out mass raids at 24 locations, including houses and offices within Klang Valley, on Jan 13 and arrested 12 individuals.
The suspects, including two directors of a financial consulting company, a director of a foundation, a manager and former sales manager of a bank, were remanded over suspicion of corruption and money laundering activities that involved personal loans from several banking institutions.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the suspects were arrested in a special operation codenamed Ops Sky carried out by the commission’s money laundering prevention division, Bank Negara Malaysia and several financial institutions.
He said initial investigations showed that officers from several banks were believed to have received bribes from the consulting company as a reward to help process and approve personal loans.
“We believe the bank officers identified customers among civil servants who have bad debts. They were then introduced to the company that would offer what was known as multiple loan scheme assistance,” he said.
He added that the company was believed to have helped in the preparation of documents containing false information, which were then sent to several financial institutions in order to obtain loans.
Azam said the investigation revealed that the consulting firm would give borrowers advances to pay off their debts, and when their loans were approved, they would repay the advance amount while investing the remainder.
MACC also froze 70 company and individual accounts with RM16.2mil and confiscated nine vehicles, including a Ferrari F8 Spider, Lexus RC300, Mercedes-Benz GLC43 and BMW.
“MACC also confiscated cash of more than RM300,000 aside from HK$95,000, 17 luxury watches worth RM11.1mil, five branded handbags valued at more than RM430,000, two laptops and two tablets,” he said.
A five-day remand order until Jan 18 was issued by Magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin against 10 male and two female suspects following an application by MACC.
