Explainer | Malaysia 1MDB scandal: bigamy, bribes and boozy parties – juicy details emerge from US trial

Former Goldman worker Roger Ng’s trial gave anecdotes about his dealings with Malaysian financier Jho Low wanted for his role in the state fund’s looting

The case also shed light on lavish parties and Ng’s ex-boss Leissner. The revelations could hit Najib, convicted in the scam and currently out on bail, as he eyes prime ministership

Reading Time:5 minutes

Former Goldman employee Roger Ng. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 12:20pm, 18 Feb 2022Updated: 2:45pm, 18 Feb 2022

From allegations about bigamist bankers to bribe-taking sheikhs, former Goldman Sachs employee Roger Ng’s trial in New York over his role in Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal has offered a stream of juicy details since it began on Monday.

The US District Court trial of the Malaysian national is the first foreign jury hearing centred around the now-infamous plunder of billions of dollars of state funds from the Southeast Asian country.

Over the last few years, observers have closely parsed the Malaysian proceedings involving the ex-prime minister Najib Razak and others allegedly involved in the scandal.

Still, Ng’s case has been anticipated for several reasons.

For one, the 49-year-old ex-banker has been expected to provide rich anecdotes about his dealings with the looting’s fugitive mastermind Jho Low – also a Malaysian.

Also likely to be scrutinised are Ng’s testimony about Goldman Sachs and his former boss, Tim Leissner.

The 153-year-old Wall Street Bank in October 2020 admitted criminal wrongdoing by its Malaysian subsidiary and agreed to pay over US$5 billion to regulators around the world.

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