Saturday, 19 March 2016 | MYT 1:15 PM
MACC nabs mastermind behind RM100mil Government fund misappropriation
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has nabbed a division secretary of a Government agency, said to be the syndicate mastermind involved in misappropriation of some RM100mil in state funds.
The 56-year-old suspect was nabbed on Friday along with eight others including a woman, who were contractors from 14 companies that received payments for an unnamed ministry's programs that were never carried out.
The MACC also seized 12 luxury cars, jewellery, luxury watches and branded handbags and froze a total of 69 accounts amounting to RM8.33mil.
MACC investigations division director Datuk Azam Baki (pic) said that the mastermind was believed to have received some RM20mil in kickbacks.
"So far, our investigations show that they have been operating since 2010, but we won't rule out the possibility they have been active even before that," he told a press conference at the MACC headquarters here Saturday.
He added that the senior officer also received other kickbacks from the contractors including houses, luxury cars, insurance and trust fund payments worth millions of Ringgit as well as supplementary credit cards.
Azam said the senior officer led lavish lifestyles and bought luxury items such as watches and branded handbags worth up to RM400,000 each.
He said the case was being investigated under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Azam said that the suspects have been remanded for a week.
