KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20 ― Swiss banker-turned-whistleblower Xavier Andre Justo has brushed aside allegations of wrongdoing in Switzerland, claiming the investigation against him for economic espionage came from a public relations (PR) stunt by two of his former colleagues.
Justo has accused two Petrosaudi directors Patrick Mahoney and Tarek Obaid, who are wanted in several countries in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, as responsible for the so-called stunt.
“This is a PR stunt by Petrosaudi’s directors as they want me to face the law seeing as how they are being investigated for their involvement in the 1MDB case,” Justo was quoted saying by Astro Awani.
He added that the investigation is against an old case.
Authorities in Switzerland have opened investigation against Justo for his part in exposing the 1MDB scandal claiming he had stolen property from former employers Petrosaudi.
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) told Astro Awani that an official complaint was made to OAG on December 11, 2017 from someone close to the 1MDB investigations.
The OAG then opened a file against Justo on September 19, 2018, claiming Justo may have breached Article 273 of the Penal Code in Switzerland.
Justo was however unfazed by the allegations and impending investigations.
“This is an old fact from 2017 when we, as a family, filed criminals complaints again Tarek Obaid and Patrick Mahony. What they did instead of suing us for defamation they filed a complaint against us for industrial espionage.
“We all know by now that the only industrial side of Petrosaudi was the criminal side and that I didn't steal any data,” Justo had then said on his Facebook profile.
Justo blew the lid open on the 1MDB scandal when he took files from Petrosaudi, his former workplace, and shared them with Sarawak Report editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown in 2015.
Tarek and Mahoney are under scrutiny for their part in enabling the transfer of billions of ringgit from the 1MDB through their company.
