‘Wolf of Wall Street’ Producer Riza Aziz Forfeits $60 Million in Property Tied to 1MDB Case
https://variety.com/2020/biz/news/riza-aziz-1mdb-forfeit-1234757420/

AP Photo/Vincent Thian, Fil
Riza Aziz, the co-founder of Red Granite Pictures and producer of “The Wolf of Wall Street,” has dropped his claims to $60 million worth of luxury real estate and other assets, including a lithograph poster for the 1927 film “Metropolis.
U.S. prosecutors filed suit to seize the property in 2016 and 2017, as part of the global investigation of the pillaging of 1MDB, a Malaysian state-development fund. Prosecutors believe at least $4.5 billion was looted from the fund in a scheme orchestrated by Jho Low, a Malaysian financier who remains in hiding
The funds were used to buy luxury real estate, a yacht, artwork and to throw lavish parties
Aziz, stepson of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, faced criminal charges in Malaysia of laundering $248 million. But those charges were dropped in May in exchange for the return of assets worth $107 million
Red Granite Pictures previously agreed in 2018 to pay $60 million in proceeds from its films to resolve asset forfeiture claims brought by U.S. prosecutors. Leonardo DiCaprio also returned three artworks — including a Picasso — that had been given to him by figures in the scandal, as well as Marlon Brando’s Oscar statuette
Under the agreements filed in court on Wednesday, Aziz also gives up his claim to three lavish properties: the “Pyramid House” in Beverly Hills, a penthouse duplex in the Park Laurel tower in Manhattan and a London townhouse. He also forfeits any claim to $28 million held in a Huntington National bank account and the “Metropolis” posted
The seized assets include the sale proceeds from a Kentucky maintenance company in which Aziz had an interest, according to prosecutors
Aziz does not admit to any wrongdoing under the agreement
The funds will be “used for the benefit of the people of Malaysia after deduction of the government’s associated costs,” according to a stipulation
According to prosecutors, the U.S. government has now assisted in the recovery of $1.1 billion in embezzled 1MDB assets
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