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LOS ANGELES (Variety.com): Riza Aziz (Photo), co-founder of Red Granite Pictures and producer of “The Wolf of Wall Street”, has withdrawn his claims worth 60 million US dollars (248.7 million ringgit) in luxury real estate and other assets, including a poster lithograph from the 1927 film “Metropolis.”
US prosecutors filed a lawsuit to seize the property in 2016 and 2017, as part of the global investigation into the looting of 1MDB, a Malaysian state development fund. Prosecutors believe that at least US $ 4.5 billion (RM18.6 billion) was looted from the fund in a scheme orchestrated by Jho Low, a Malaysian financier who remains undercover.
The funds were used to buy luxury real estate, a yacht, artwork, and to host lavish parties.
Aziz, the stepson of former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, faced criminal charges in Malaysia for laundering US $ 248,000 (RM1.02 billion). But those charges were dropped in May in exchange for the return of assets worth 107 million dollars (443.6 million ringgit).
Red Granite Pictures previously agreed in 2018 to pay US $ 60k (RM248.7k) in proceeds from its films to settle asset forfeiture claims filed by US prosecutors. Leonardo DiCaprio also returned three works of art, including a Picasso, which he had been gifted with figures from the scandal, as well as Marlon Brando’s Oscar statuette.
According to settlements filed in court Wednesday, Aziz also renounces his claim on three luxurious properties: the “Pyramid House” in Beverly Hills, a duplex penthouse in the Park Laurel tower in Manhattan and a house in London. It also waives any claims for US $ 28 million (RM116 thousand) found in a Huntington National bank account and the “Metropolis” sign.
The seized assets include proceeds from the sale of a Kentucky maintenance company in which Aziz had an interest, according to prosecutors.
Aziz does not admit to any wrongdoing under the agreements.
The funds will be “used for the benefit of the people of Malaysia after deduction of associated government costs,” according to a stipulation.
According to prosecutors, the US government has now helped recover US $ 1.1 billion (RM4.56 billion) in embezzled 1MDB assets. – Variety.com
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