PETALING JAYA, March — The US government is reviewing Malaysia’s extradition request for former Goldman Sachs partner Tim Leissner over his role in the 1MDB scandal, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said.
In a statement today, the AGC said that the move is part of Malaysia’s continued efforts to seek justice in one of the largest fraud schemes in modern history, in which Malaysians were the main victims.
The AGC said the extradition request was submitted on August 14 last year, with Malaysia providing additional documents and information as requested by US authorities.
The AGC said the extradition request was originally submitted on August 14 last year.
“Malaysia has also taken follow-up steps, including providing additional documents and information requested by the US authorities,” it added.
Leissner, who previously served as Goldman Sachs’ Southeast Asia chairman, played a key role in US$6.5 billion worth of 1MDB bond deals between 2012 and 2013.
According to US prosecutors, Leissner conspired with Ng and fugitive financier Low Taek Jho to channel more than US$1.6 billion in bribes to officials in Malaysia and the Middle East.
In 2018, Leissner pleaded guilty in the US to money laundering and bribery charges, admitting that he had received between US$50 million and US$60 million in kickbacks. He has been awaiting sentencing since then.
Ng, who was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison in the US, is currently in Malaysia assisting local investigators.
The Wall Street Journal reported in May that Putrajaya had submitted the extradition request to the US Department of Justice last August.
Sources told the paper that Malaysian authorities are eager to secure Leissner’s extradition before he potentially returns to Germany, where he might avoid facing prosecution.
