Riza Aziz, the stepson of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, arrived at MACC headquarters this afternoon to have his statement recorded.
He will be questioned by the graft-buster in relation to its probe on 1MDB.
Clad in a yellow Polo T-shirt and black blazer, Riza arrived in Putrajaya at about 1.30pm today. He was accompanied by two lawyers.
Riza is CEO of the film production company Red Granite Pictures, a company with alleged ties to the 1MDB scandal.
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has claimed that US$64 million in allegedly misappropriated 1MDB funds had been wired to Red Granite Pictures and used to finance the production of several Hollywood movies, notably Martin Scorsese’s 2013 film “The Wolf of Wall Street”, featuring Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Red Granite has maintained that it did not knowingly use stolen funds to finance its films.
The US$64 million received by Red Granite Pictures was part of US$238 million in allegedly stolen 1MDB funds that the DOJ believes were transferred to accounts controlled by Riza.
He was accused of using the funds to purchase luxury properties from businessperson Jho Low.
The DOJ alleged that Riza had also claimed that US$94 million out of the 1MDB funds he received was “a gift”. – MKINI
Rosmah’s son arrives stone-faced for MACC questioning on 1MDB
PUTRAJAYA — Riza Aziz, the stepson of Datuk Seri Najib Razak, came to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters here today for questioning over the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal.
The Hollywood film producer arrived at 1.35pm in a white Kia SUV. He was escorted by two individuals, believed to be lawyers, in a black Audi before him,
Riza appeared expressionless and walked straight into the building, refusing to acknowledge the media despite repeated efforts to get his attention.
Riza, the son of Najib’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor from an earlier marriage to a man named Abdul Aziz Nong Chik, was linked to the 1MDB scandal after the US Department of Justice named his Los Angeles-based film production and distribution company Red Granite Pictures as among the recipients of funds misappropriated from the Malaysian sovereign investment fund.
Red Granite Pictures produced the 2013 Oscar-nominated movie Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
Earlier former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi and former Federal Land Development Authority chairman Tan Sri Shahrir Samad arrived at MACC 9.55am and 9.35am subsequently. The duo are still being interviewed.
Shahrir is here for the 1MDB probe today while Zahid is here to answer investigators questions surrounding the alleged abuse of funds in connection to a family-owned welfare foundation, called Yayasan Akal Budi.
Yesterday, Zahid spent 8.5 hours being questioned over 1MDB.
Since May, MACC has called several individuals to help its probe in relation to 1MDB, including Najib, who was summoned on May 22 and 24.
On June 5, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was also summoned to MACC to give her statement over the same matter.
Yesterday the 1MDB Task Force, a team jointly led by Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail, Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, Datuk Seri Mohd Shukri Abdull, and Datuk Abdul Hamid Bador said a total of 408 bank accounts suspected to be linked to 1MDB have been frozen
Investigators said the accounts belonged to 81 individuals, 55 companies and involves nearly 900 transactions made between March 2011 and September 2015. – MALAY MAIL
MKINI / MALAY MAIL
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