US prosecutors seek sale of luxury homes linked to Riza Aziz

US prosecutors are seeking to sell three luxury homes linked to the stepson of former prime minister Najib Razak, court documents showed, in the latest effort to recover money allegedly stolen from 1MDB. 

Malaysian and US authorities allege that about US$4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB, a state fund co-founded by Najib.

Since 2016, the US Department of Justice has filed forfeiture lawsuits on about US$1.7 billion in assets allegedly bought with stolen 1MDB funds, including a private jet, luxury real estate and jewelry.

The US has begun returning to Malaysia some US$200 million recovered from the sale of seized assets.

On Wednesday, US prosecutors and the holding companies for three luxury properties asked a California court to lift a stay on forfeiture proceedings so that the properties can be sold, court filings showed.

The properties include a £23.2 million London townhouse, a US$17.5 million home in Beverly Hills, and a US$35.5 million condominium in New York allegedly purchased by Najib’s stepson Riza Aziz (above) using funds diverted from 1MDB.

Prosecutors said Riza bought the properties from financier Low Taek Jho (below), who faces criminal charges in Malaysia and the United States over his alleged central role in the 1MDB case. Low, also known as Jho Low, has denied wrongdoing and his whereabouts are unknown. 

Riza was a co-founder of Hollywood production firm Red Granite Pictures, which was behind the Oscar-nominated film “The Wolf of Wall Street”. 

In 2017, Red Granite paid the US government US$60 million to settle a forfeiture suit over the rights to three films allegedly financed with 1MDB funds. 

Last month, Riza plead not guilty in Malaysia to five charges of money laundering, involving about US$248 million in 1MDB funds.

Authorities in at least six countries are investigating suspected money laundering and graft linked to 1MDB, set up by Najib in 2009.

Najib, who lost power in a general election last year, is facing 42 criminal charges related to losses at 1MDB and other government entities. He has denied wrongdoing. 

- Reuters