The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Justice are examining Goldman Sachs Group Inc’s role in allegations of corruption and money laundering at Malaysian state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
The U.S. inquiries are at the information-gathering stage, and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Goldman Sachs, the paper reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Investigators “have yet to determine if the matter will become a focus of any investigations into the 1MDB scandal,” the Journal quoted a spokeswoman for the FBI as saying.
Goldman Sachs Singapore office did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment. The FBI and DOJ were not available for comment outside U.S. business hours.
In July, Malaysian anti-corruption officials investigating the allegations visited the local office of Goldman Sachs seeking documents relating to 1MDB, Reuters reported earlier, citing sources.
Investigators in Malaysia have been probing 1MDB’s management, including allegations that nearly $700 million was channeled from the fund to Prime Minister Najib Razak’s bank accounts.
Malaysia’s attorney general said on Tuesday he was right to close an investigation by the country’s central bank as there was no evidence the fund’s officials had knowingly flouted the law.
Source: Reuters
