Paul Stadlen, who was a media advisor to former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak has been charged in absentia in the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex here today with money laundering totalling RM15 million.
According to Bernama, sources from the Attorney-General’s Chambers said that the British-born Stadlen had been charged in the Sessions Court.
“The prosecution from the AGC handled the case,” said the sources adding that the prosecution had to bring the charges against Stadlen in absentia as he had run away from Malaysia.
Stadlen, a Malaysian permanent resident, was alleged to have managed Najib's public relations and press operations.
Last November, MACC deputy commissioner (operations) Azam Baki said Stadlen was being sought to facilitate investigations into the 1MDB scandal and that he had left Malaysia before the May 9 general elections.
British newspaper The Daily Mail at the time reported that Stadlen, 39, was believed to have flown to London before heading to an unknown destination.
Stadlen's last address in Malaysia was Unit A-29-8, Blok A, Loft Sentral Condominium, Jalan Stesen Sentral 5, KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur.
Anti-Anwar campaign
In 2009, the then BN government paid Apco Worldwide a whopping RM77 million to manage Malaysia's image internationally. The contract was reportedly renewed in 2010 amid public outcry.
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that he was a part of the Prime Minister's Office's (PMO) National Communications Team back in 2013.
In 2015, however, the government denied that Stadlen had been hired as a government servant, and as such had not received any allowances, wages and remuneration from the government.
After his role in Apco, Stadlen also worked with FBC Media, a lobby group linked to a vicious online campaign against Anwar Ibrahim by the discredited US blogger Josh Trevino and his company, Rogue Communications. - Mkini
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