The Malaysian Insight

RIZA Aziz will be at Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters again tomorrow to answer more questions, for the third day in a row.

The stepson of former prime minister Najib Razak is being questioned on the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal after he was alleged to have made big-budget Hollywood movies with money from the state investor.

The 48-year-old was questioned for nine hours yesterday. This was followed by another round of questioning lasting six hours today.

But MACC is not done yet.

A source told The Malaysian Insight MACC investigators had called him in tomorrow also and might call him in again on Friday.

“Yes, MACC will record his statement again tomorrow. Will continue (till Friday) if there is a need,” the source said.

Riza left MACC headquarters at 9pm today in a black Audi, accompanied by his two lawyers.

He is a film producer and co-founder of Hollywood film production company Red Granite Pictures, which has been accused of funding its hundred-million-dollar productions with 1MDB money.

It is learnt MACC was also interested in finding out Riza’s links to Malaysian businessman turned fugitive Low Teik Jho, popularly known as Jho Low.

Riza has kept a low profile since his name was bandied about by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) in relation to its efforts to recover assets bought with funds allegedly stolen from the state investor.

In March 2018, the producers of the hit Hollywood film, The Wolf of Wall Street, agreed to pay US$60 million to the US government to settle a lawsuit alleging its film were funded with money stolen from 1MDB.

CNN reported that Red Granite Pictures, which also made big budget comedies Daddy’s Home and Dumb and Dumber To, was required to pay the amount in three instalments over 12 months, according to documents filed with the US district court in California.

Red Granite Pictures was accused of receiving US$64 million allegedly stolen from 1MDB. The DoJ said it believed the funds were transferred to accounts controlled by Riza. The DoJ also said Riza had claimed that US94 million he received as a “gift”.

Riza was accused of using the funds to purchase luxury properties as well as movie posters from Jho Low.

The DOJ is seeking to seize approximately US$1 billion worth of assets allegedly bought with stolen 1MDB funds.

The 1MDB probe in Malaysia was reopened after the Pakatan Harapan coalition won federal power in the 14th general election.

Earlier today, Najib was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust and misusing his position, in a case that the authorities said was the first of many to come, in relation to the 1MDB affair. – July 4, 2018.