KUALA LUMPUR, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The Malaysian government is filing civil forfeiture claims against 41 individuals and organizations which received money from state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), the country's anti-corruption body said on Friday.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Commissioner Latheefa Koya listed several individuals from former ruling party United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and the party's divisions and private companies as receiving illegal funds at a press conference at the commission's headquarters.
Latheefa said the civil forfeitures had been filed on Wednesday against those identified as having received money from the account of former Prime Minister Najib Razak, an account that she said had been set up for the purpose of disbursing the funds.
"The money is coming from a local bank and dispersed to these people, the money is coming from an account created to receive 1MDB money," she said.
Latheefa said the amount involved a total of 270 million ringgit (65 million U.S. dollars), of which two million ringgit (500,000 U.S. dollars) had been voluntarily surrendered and such individuals would not face prosecution.
However, those found to have actively participated in laundering the money would face charges, she added.
Najib has been slapped with more than 40 corruption-related charges involving billions of dollars, after his Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition lost the general elections last May, and his wife Rosmah Mansor is facing 20 corruption charges. Both have denied the charges.