KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22 – Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail today said the Anti-Money Laundering Investigation Team (AMLA) at Bukit Aman has arrested six individuals in connection with the MBI International Group (MBI) investment fraud case.
He said among those detained are three businessmen who hold the “Datuk” title and also control companies listed on Bursa Malaysia.
“Following new information obtained during the investigation, those arrested include a businessman holding the title ‘Datuk Seri’ and two other businessmen with the title ‘Datuk’.
“Two of the suspects have been remanded for four to twelve days to assist with further investigations and background information on the individuals arrested shows that the ‘Datuk Seri’ is the owner of companies listed on Bursa Malaysia,” he told reporters during a press conference here.
He said the two “Datuks” have businesses in telecommunications and property development, each with companies listed on Bursa Malaysia.
He then said the other two individuals are a durian farm caretaker and an accountant.
Following these arrests, Khalid said they froze and seized 88 bank accounts totalling RM10.54 million, and 398.8 million shares valued at about RM86.86 million from two Bursa Malaysia-listed companies.
Other seized included RM300,000 in cash, seven luxury vehicles, five luxury watches, two branded handbags, six mobile phones, and various related documents.
“The total value of assets frozen and seized in the latest operation is estimated at RM97,696,212.96. To date, the cumulative amount of assets frozen and seized stands at RM6.6 billion,” he added.
Khalid explained that most of the suspects are believed to have acted as proxies, receiving funds from overseas that were subsequently redirected for various purposes within Malaysia.
Khalid also described it as a method of laundering the money, explaining that the funds are invested in property, land for farming, and other ventures before being reported as company profits.
He said the police have used the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla) to freeze and seize additional assets in the course of their investigation.
On May 30, Amla arrested 17 individuals in connection with the MBI investment fraud case, freezing and seizing assets totalling RM3.81 billion.
The arrests involved entrepreneurs holding the titles “Tan Sri” and “Datuk Seri”, who are believed to have acted as proxies and business partners in the investment fraud scheme, and were detained across the Klang Valley and northern states under Ops Northern Star.
