QPRESS
The Wolf of Wall Street
Producer Riza Aziz Arrested on Money Laundering Charges
The Wolf of Wall Street
producer and stepson of Malaysia
s former prime minister pleaded not guilty on Friday to laundering $248 million from a state investment fund, becoming the third person in his family charged in the 1MDB scandal that helped end Najib Razak
s government last year.
Riza Aziz was solemn as he appeared in court to be charged with receiving the illicit funds between 2011 and 2012 in the U.S. and Singapore.
The charge sheets said the money was misappropriated from 1MDB and channeled into bank accounts of Riza
s company Red Granite Pictures Inc., which produced films including the Martin Scorsese-directed film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The 2013 film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture.
The money was transferred from Swiss bank accounts of two companies U.S. investigators identified as being linked to 1MDB into Red Granite
s accounts in the United States and Singapore, according to the charge sheets describing the evidence.
Riza, 42, was released on bail. He was charged with five counts of money laundering and could face up to five years in prison, a fine or both, on each count if he is convicted.
2019-07-05T14:30:20Z