Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has been found guilty of abuse of power in a major trial linked to the multibillion-dollar 1MDB corruption scandal. Najib, who has been in prison since 2022, denies all wrongdoing.
Prosecutors accused Najib of receiving about 2.2 billion ringgit ($544m) in illegal funds from the state investment fund, which he co-founded in 2009. Investigators say at least $4.5bn was stolen from 1MDB, with more than $1bn allegedly flowing into accounts linked to Najib.
Najib, 72, is already serving a prison sentence after Malaysia's top court upheld a separate corruption conviction. He has said he was misled by fund officials and fugitive financier Jho Low, who is wanted by United States authorities.
What is the 1MDB case?
1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) was a state investment fund set up in 2009 to promote economic development in Malaysia. Instead, investigators later found it had been used in one of the world's largest financial frauds. Malaysian and United States authorities say at least $4.5bn was siphoned off through a complex web of shell companies and overseas bank accounts. The money was allegedly used to fund luxury real estate, artwork, yachts and even Hollywood films. The scandal brought down Najib's government in 2018 and triggered investigations in several countries.