Money-laundering charges dropped against Najib's ex-media adviser
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KUALA LUMPUR • A controversial British former media adviser to Malaysia's former leader Najib Razak has had money-laundering charges dropped after agreeing to pay RM7.2 million (S$2.3 million) to scandal-hit sovereign wealth fund 1MDB, officials said.
Mr Paul Stadlen is believed to have left Malaysia after his boss, former prime minister Najib, suffered a shock election defeat in 2018.
Najib and many of his confidants faced corruption charges after the election for their roles in the massive scandal involving the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund.
Billions of dollars were looted from the state fund that was meant to promote development through foreign investment, in a fraud that spanned the globe, with the money spent on everything from a super-yacht to art.
Mr Stadlen, whose whereabouts remain unknown, was charged in absentia in 2019 with laundering more than RM14 million ringgit.
But the anti-graft agency said the charges were dropped after he agreed to pay back nearly RM7.2 million.
They added that the case against him had been withdrawn, with the money to be transferred into a 1MDB trust account.
Mr Stadlen was alleged to have channelled the funds in 2014 and 2015 from an account owned by a law firm, to various people and companies.
The firm's managing partner Hafarizam Harun also had money-laundering charges related to RM15 million ringgit dropped, the agency said, and was instead served with a RM600,000 fine.
Reputed to have had a playboy lifestyle while in Malaysia, Mr Stadlen was known for his strong defence of Najib even as the former premier faced mounting criticism over the 1MDB scandal.
The long-ruling Barison Nasional coalition lost power in 2018 in large part due to the fraud.
Since then, the authorities have been working to get back looted funds.
The former premier was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in jail last year following his first trial linked to the 1MDB scandal. He remains free on bail while he appeals.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
