Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was sentenced Friday to an additional 15 years in prison after a court found him guilty of large-scale corruption tied to the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund. The ruling deepens the legal downfall of the once-powerful leader, already behind bars for an earlier graft conviction.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court convicted Najib, 72, of abusing his authority and laundering billions siphoned from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state fund he helped create. The judge also imposed a fine of 11.4 billion ringgit, equivalent to about $2.8 billion. The new prison term will only begin after Najib completes his existing six-year sentence.
During a lengthy hearing, Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah found Najib guilty on four counts of abuse of power and 21 money-laundering charges. The offenses involved roughly 2.28 billion ringgit that prosecutors said flowed from 1MDB into Najib’s personal bank accounts. Najib sat quietly in court as the verdict was read.
Prosecutors argued Najib exploited his roles as prime minister, finance minister, and 1MDB advisory board chair to exert total control over the fund. Investigators said stolen money financed luxury properties, a superyacht, and valuable artwork, including paintings by Monet and Van Gogh.
The court rejected Najib’s defense that he was deceived by financier Low Taek Jho, widely known as Jho Low. The judge said evidence showed Low acted as Najib’s proxy, dismissing claims Najib was misled as “without merit.” Arguments that Middle Eastern donors supplied the funds were also rejected as implausible.
Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, criticized the ruling and confirmed an appeal would be filed, insisting the trial was flawed. Najib has apologized for the scandal occurring during his leadership but continues to deny criminal intent.
The 1MDB scandal, which erupted after Najib lost power in 2018, triggered investigations across several countries and badly damaged Malaysia’s global reputation. Authorities estimate more than $4.5 billion was stolen, with Jho Low still at large.
