NAJIB Razak’s stepson, Riza Aziz, is expected to be slapped with five money-laundering charges at the Kuala Lumpur Session Court this morning, said sources.

The co-founder of Red Granite Pictures will be charged with receiving illicit money from Good Star Ltd, a company linked to fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, commonly known as Jho Low.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Latheefa Koya confirmed yesterday that Riza will face charges for offences under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

The 43-year-old son of Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, from a previous marriage, was arrested at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya at noon yesterday, but was released later on bail.

Riza, who holds a background in finance and studied at the London School of Economics, was questioned four times by MACC in July last year.

Red Granite Pictures paid US$60 million (RM247 million) to the US Department of Justice in March last year to settle claims that it produced three films using funds siphoned from 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

The company – which produced big-budget films such as The Wolf of Wall Street, Daddy’s Home, and Dumb and Dumber To – was ordered to settle the US$60 million in three installments over 12 months from March, according to documents filed with the US district court in California.

The company was accused by US authorities of receiving the sum as part of the US$238 million allegedly stolen from 1MDB and Rizal himself is accused of using the funds to purchase luxury properties from Jho Low.

Riza was also named in a RM680 million forfeiture suit filed by prosecutors last month for assets allegedly bought with 1MDB funds. 

Last month, the Attorney-General’s Chambers filed a notice of forfeiture for hundreds of items including truckloads of designer handbags and 27 vehicles seized from premises linked to Najib and his family and 13 associated individuals and companies

The notice named the prosecution as the applicant and 18 individuals and companies as the respondents.

Also named were Najib and Rosmah’s children, Nooryana Najwa and Norashman.

Riza will be the third person in Najib’s family to be slapped with criminal charges. His mother is facing two criminal trials that are set to begin next year.

Najib’s SRC International trial, in which he is accused of receiving RM42 million in his personal accounts, is currently being heard. The former prime minister faces up to four other criminal trials, set to begin next year. – July 5, 2019.