AG: Roger Ng extradited to US for 10 months over 1MDB criminal charges

KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng was surrendered to the US authorities for 10 months to face criminal charges in connection with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, said Attorney General Tommy Thomas.

Confirming Ng’s extradition, Thomas said in a statement today that after the former banker has faced the law in the US he would be returned and tried in Malaysia.

“The practical consequence of Roger Ng simultaneously facing criminal charges for different crimes under two different systems in two countries meant that he must be tried in both the courts of Malaysia and US,” said Thomas.

“In order to decide where he would be tried first, consultations were held between the governments of Malaysia and the US which led to an agreement for a temporary surrender by Malaysia of Roger Ng for a period of 10 months to enable him to be extradited to the US and for the US prosecution to proceed first.”

He said Ng was temporarily surrendered to the US after they obtained his Temporary Surrender Warrant signed by Home Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on April 25 which is pursuant to the terms of the Extradition Treaty between the government of Malaysia and US.

“Roger Ng was temporarily surrendered to the US on May 3 and shall be returned to Malaysias to face out courts as soon as the proceedings in the US are concluded,” Thomas said in the statement.

“The period of temporary surrender may be extended upon mutual agreement by Malaysia and the US”

Tommy explained that the Attorney Generals Chambers (AGC) received the extradition request from the US on October 23 last year after which they arrested Ng on November 1.

After being charged in December for four counts of abetting Goldman Sachs, the US investment bank in relation to the issuance of 1MDB bonds, in February 2019 Ng agreed to be extradited.

On December 19, 2018, Ng pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here to four counts of abetting Goldman Sachs over the sale of 1MDB bonds totalling US$6.5 billion (RM26.71 billion) by leaving out material facts and making false statements.

Previously, Ng and his family reportedly agreed to surrender about US$29 million (RM120.7million) linked to 1MDB to Singapore authorities.

Singapore repatriated the funds to Malaysia last week.