Finance minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz’s name has been mentioned in the ongoing trial of former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng in the US.
This came after Tim Leissner, the star witness in Ng’s trial, told a federal court in Brooklyn, New York, that he was invited to a high-level meeting on the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), which later became 1MDB.
FMT has reached out to Tengku Zafrul’s office for comment.
According to court documents sighted by FMT, Leissner acknowledged an email from Ng about a TIA meeting with Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin, who was the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 2009.
Ng said that others who would be present at the meeting include himself, Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, and Kenanga Investment Bank group managing director Ramli Ismail and Tengku Zafrul, who was then a director at Kenanga.
Low, who Leissner previously said was an adviser to Sultan Mizan and made key decisions in TIA, is widely considered the 1MDB affair mastermind.
Then, Leissner also revealed how Low was instrumental in getting Goldman Sachs involved in TIA.
In Leissner’s testimony, he said Ng told him that the purpose of the meeting would be for Sultan Mizan to meet the people “from the banks”.
Asked by prosecutors on whether he knew that Tengku Zafrul was from Kenanga, Leissner said: “I don’t know if (he was) at the time.”
“He had moved around in my lifetime as a banker, so I don’t know at this particular time.”
Leissner also said he could not recall if Kenanga wanted to be a joint adviser along with Goldman Sachs on the TIA project. – FMT
Earlier reports:
Mar 2, Leissner, Ng consulted feng shui master on 1MDB probe
Mar 2, Leissner testifies that he ‘lied a lot’, misled women
Mar 2, Leissner: Jho Low said he discussed 1MDB probe with Trump allies
Mar 1, Leissner: Jho Low said money from third 1MDB bond meant to fund election
Feb 25, Leissner: Najib and Sheikh on Jho Low’s ‘bribe list’
Feb 25, Leissner: 1MDB loot wasn’t enough, so I stole from Jho Low
Feb 25, Leissner and Ng used wives to disguise kickbacks from Jho Low
Feb 24, Jho Low tried to book Bill Clinton for Rosmah’s soirée
Feb 24, Jho Low ‘chased’ Leissner over donation to Rosmah’s charity
Feb 23, Leissner claims affair with ex-Astro CEO, blackmailed into buying her US$10m London home
Feb 23, Leissner mentions ‘bribery’ involving ex-BNM governor’s husband
Feb 23, Ex-Goldman chief discussed getting jobs for Najib’s children
Feb 17, Tim Leissner: Senior Goldman staff knew about Jho Low in 1MDB
Feb 17, Ex-Goldman banker Tim Leissner: Greed and ambition motivated 1MDB bribery
Feb 15, Tim Leissner allegedly a ‘double bigamist’