PETALING JAYA: Roger Ng, former head of investment banking for Goldman Sachs Malaysia, is disputing the amount in bribes that were paid during the 1MDB scandal ahead of his sentencing in New York for conspiring to loot billions of dollars from the sovereign wealth fund.
According to Bloomberg.com, Ng said in a sealed reply to a government pre-sentencing report filed in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, that US$1.1 billion was paid to corrupt officials, including former prime minister Najib Razak.
Ng, who was convicted by a US jury on April 9 last year after a lengthy trial, is set to be sentenced on March 9.
Federal prosecutors had said in a court filing in New York on Wednesday that the amount was “approximately US$2 billion”.
Bloomberg.com said the government listed several other inaccuracies in Ng’s report. It said prosecutors stated he appeared to be trying to re-litigate the case.
Ng’s former Goldman boss and co-conspirator, Tim Leissner, was the star prosecution witness in the trial that lasted eight weeks. Leissner, who pleaded guilty and cooperated with prosecutors, is set to be sentenced on Sept 6.
“As he did at trial, the defendant wants to attack Leissner rather than acknowledge the actual facts of the case,” Bloomberg.com quoted prosecutors as saying.
It said Ng’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, did not immediately return an email seeking comment on the government filing.
Ng was convicted of three counts, including conspiring to violate US anti-bribery laws and conspiring to launder money. He faces up to 30 years in prison, but reports said he is likely to get a much lower sentence. - FMT
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