MBI founder held, RM32 million in cash and bank accounts seized

Officers raid two houses in Butterworth and Kulim yesterday, seizing money and vehicles.

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GEORGE TOWN: The founder of the MBI Group, operating a pyramid investment scheme, was arrested in an operation coordinated by the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) early yesterday.

Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) enforcement director Mohd Roslan Mahayudin told a press conference today that the man, in his 50s, had been remanded for four days from yesterday.

He will be investigated under the anti-money laundering law.

Roslan said during a raid at the founder’s luxury house at Taman MBI Desaku in Kulim, Kedah, three luxury cars worth RM1.55 million were seized.

The cars were a Jaguar XJ L (costing RM300,000), a Range Rover Vogue SE (bullet-proof, costing RM900,000) and a Toyota Vellfire (Executive Lounge, costing RM300,000).

Roslan said cash of RM187,612 was seized together with another RM218,000 in 13 different foreign currencies, including US dollars and Cambodia riels.

He said in another raid on a home in Sungai Dua, Butterworth, officers seized RM280,000 in cash.

Roslan said in the operation that began at 6.30am yesterday, enforcement officers seized a total of RM2.23 million in cash and property. They have also frozen bank accounts worth RM30 million for 90 days.

The accounts were frozen under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

“To date, this brings the total value of accounts frozen, related to this money scheme, since our first operation on May 29, to RM209 million.

“This involves 98 accounts, of which 49 were from subsidiaries of MBI and another 49 are individual account holders,” Roslan said.

On May 29, enforcement officers had raided the M Square logistics centre in Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, and M Mall, a shopping complex in Penang, where shoppers are allowed to use loyalty reward points in exchange for goods.

The officers seized documents related to the business, information on transactions, computers, branded goods, gold bars and jade jewellery.

During the raids yesterday, four bank accounts belonging to a relative of a suspect in the “Mface Club Scheme”, under MBI Group, were frozen. The accounts had a total of RM30 million.

When asked who these individual account holders were, Roslan said they were believed to be “sponsors”.

Roslan said the raids were ordered after the investment scheme operated by MBI International was found to be operating illegally.

He said no police reports were made against the money scheme.

“The success of the operation is thanks to public information. Investigations were made by police and the enforcement officers,” he said.

Asked when the people arrested would be charged, Roslan said investigations had to be completed first.

Roslan said the KPDNKK officers who took part in the raid were under the direction of the AGC, which heads the National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team (NRRET).

The NRRET is currently a team of 13 agencies, including the police and Inland Revenue Board officers.

Roslan urged the public not to invest in any sort of money schemes before referring to Bank Negara.

“Do not be involved in such schemes where the returns are too good to be true. We have to be careful.

He said those who want to check can call the Domestic Trade Division hotline at 1800-886-800 or visit http://e-aduan.kpdnkk.gov.my. -FMT