Indonesia seize luxury yacht Equanimity sought in 1MDB probe: Police (US DOJ)

Straits Times ^ | 28 February 2018 | Reuter

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Indonesia seize luxury yacht Equanimity sought in 1MDB probe: Police JAKARTA (REUTERS) - Indonesia on Wednesday (Feb 28) seized a luxury yacht on the island of Bali sought by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) as part of a multi-billion dollar corruption investigation linked to Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

“We have been inspecting the crew since yesterday and now we are taking action since we have received approval from the court to seize the boat,” Agung Setya, director of economic and special crimes at the Indonesia’s criminal investigation bureau, told Metro TV.

Television footage in Indonesia showed Indonesian officials talking to the crew on board the moored yacht with the name “Equanimity” at Benoa Bay. Mr Setya said there were 34 crew on board.

The official said it was not certain whether the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would be involved. “We will see how this develops ... Whether we can do a joint investigation later or whether we can hand it over later, we are in the process of collecting and investigating.”

A total of US$4.5 billion (S$6 bilion) was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates, according to civil lawsuits filed by the DOJ in the past two years.

1MDB is at the centre of money-laundering probes in at least six countries, including the US, Switzerland and Singapore.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up 1MDB in 2009 and served as chairman of its advisory board until last year. He and the fund have denied any wrongdoing.

In August 2017, the DOJ asked for a stay on its civil lawsuits seeking to seize more than US$1.7 billion in assets allegedly bought with stolen 1MDB funds because it was conducting a related criminal probe.

Among the assets sought were a US$250 million luxury yacht bought by Malaysian financier Jho Low, named as a key figure in the US lawsuits. The lawsuits claimed that Mr Low used proceeds diverted from 1MDB to procure Equanimity, which it described as a 300-foot yacht registered in the Cayman Islands.

Mr Low’s whereabouts are unknown and his Hong Kong company has not responded to requests for comment. In an emailed statement through his representative in June last year, Mr Low said the DOJ’s actions were an example “of global overreach in pursuit of a deeply flawed case”.

Other assets allegedly bought by Mr Low with stolen 1MDB funds include a private jet, a hotel and real estate in New York, and a US$107 million interest in EMI Music Publishing.

Some assets have been returned. Australian model and actress Miranda Kerr handed over millions of dollars worth of jewellery that US authorities say were given to her by Mr Low, including a jewellery set gifted to her during an excursion aboard Equanimity in 2014.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio also returned to authorities an Oscar once owned by actor Marlon Brando and other items that the US says were funded by 1MDB money.

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1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal

This story involves Clinton and Barak and their cabal of crooked bastards. The jist of the scandal as per wikipedia. There is much more, I’m going to list some of it.

The 1Malaysia Development Berhad Scandal is an ongoing political scandal occurring in Malaysia. In 2015, Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was accused of channelling over RM 2.67 billion (nearly USD 700 million) from 1MDB, a government-run strategic development company, to his personal bank accounts.

Lots of corruption here folks. Should come as no surprise, there is Clinton and Obama involvement !

This is interesting.

Another report by the WSJ pointed out that 1MDB, in connection with a United States political fundraiser DuSable Capital Management LLC that had ties to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton signed a joint venture agreement, creating a fund Yurus PE Fund to develop solar power plants in Malaysia.[61][62] Six months after the join venture agreement was signed 1MDB bought out DuSable's stake of 49% of Yurus for US$69 million before any construction took place.[63][64] According to bank transfer information, the WSJ revealed that Najib spent close to USD$15 million on clothes, jewellery and a car in places such as United States, Singapore and Italy using a credit card that was paid from one of several private bank accounts owned by Najib, that 1MDB funds were diverted to.

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DuSable Capital management ? Who could be involved in this? Let’s find out.

DuSable Management Team

Frank White, Jr. Founder & CEO Frank White, Jr.

Mr. White is the Founder and CEO of DuSable Capital Management and oversees all investments, investor relations, and operations at DuSable. Prior to founding DuSable, Mr. White founded and served as Chairman and CEO of Advanced Concepts, Inc.

Under his leadership, the technology company evolved into a leading supplier of engineering and information technology support services to the Federal Government, primarily the National Security Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.

ACI ranked amongst the Mid-Atlantic’s Top 100 Fastest Growing Businesses for eight-consecutive years. With approximately 400 employees, ACI was ultimately acquired and is now part of BAE Systems, a multi billion dollar international defense company. Mr. White has previously been recognized as a finalist for the Ernst & Young Maryland Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Mr. White was the National Vice-Chair of President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign and served as a Co-Chair for President Obama’s 2013 Inauguration Committee as well.

Mr. White earned his BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and a MS in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University.

Mr. White also completed the Executive Education Program at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

[vikingd00d]

Also mentioned is Jho Low, who is under investigation for illegally donating $1.3 million to Obama’s 2012 campaign.

He also donated $100,000 to the Clinton Foundation, laundered throuugh a “rap star” and funneled another 1 to 5 million to the Clinton Foundation through DuSable Capital.

[Bigg Red]

Thanks.

[Liz]

whitehouse.gov

Executive Order Blocking the Property of Persons Involved in Serious Human Rights Abuse or Corruption
Issued on: December 21, 2017

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (Public Law 114-328) (the “Act”), section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)) (INA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, find that the prevalence and severity of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, such as those committed or directed by persons listed in the Annex to this order, have reached such scope and gravity that they threaten the stability of international political and economic systems. Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons.

I therefore determine that serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat.

I hereby determine and order:

Section 1. (a) All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in:

(i) the persons listed in the Annex to this order;

(ii) any foreign person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General:

(A) to be responsible for or complicit in, or to have directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse;

(B) to be a current or former government official, or a person acting for or on behalf of such an official, who is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in:

(1) corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery; or

(2) the transfer or the facilitation of the transfer of the proceeds of corruption;

(C) to be or have been a leader or official of:

(1) an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, any of the activities described in subsections (ii)(A), (ii)(B)(1), or (ii)(B)(2) of this section relating to the leader’s or official’s tenure; or

(2) an entity whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order as a result of activities related to the leader’s or official’s tenure; or

(D) to have attempted to engage in any of the activities described in subsections (ii)(A), (ii)(B)(1), or (ii)(B)(2) of this section; and

(iii) any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General:

(A) to have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of:

(1) any activity described in subsections (ii)(A), (ii)(B)(1), or (ii)(B)(2) of this section that is conducted by a foreign person;

(2) any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or

(3) any entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in, or whose members have engaged in, any of the activities described in subsections (ii)(A), (ii)(B)(1), or (ii)(B)(2) of this section, where the activity is conducted by a foreign person;

(B) to be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or

(C) to have attempted to engage in any of the activities described in subsections (iii)(A) or (B) of this section.

(b) The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted before the effective date of this order.

Sec. 2. The unrestricted immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of aliens determined to meet one or more of the criteria in section 1 of this order would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and the entry of such persons into the United States, as immigrants or nonimmigrants, is hereby suspended. Such persons shall be treated as persons covered by section 1 of Proclamation 8693 of July 24, 2011 (Suspension of Entry of Aliens Subject to United Nations Security Council Travel Bans and International Emergency Economic Powers Act Sanctions).

Sec. 3. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the types of articles specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in this order, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.

Sec. 4. The prohibitions in section 1 include:

(a) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and

(b) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

Sec. 5. (a) Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

(b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

Sec. 6. For the purposes of this order:

(a) the term “person” means an individual or entity;

(b) the term “entity” means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization; and

(c) the term “United States person” means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States.

Sec. 7. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to this order.

Sec. 8. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including adopting rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to me by IEEPA and the Act as may be necessary to implement this order and section 1263(a) of the Act with respect to the determinations provided for therein. The Secretary of the Treasury may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States. All agencies shall take all appropriate measures within their authority to implement this order.

Sec. 9. The Secretary of State is hereby authorized to take such actions, including adopting rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to me by IEEPA, the INA, and the Act as may be necessary to carry out section 2 of this order and, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, the reporting requirement in section 1264(a) of the Act with respect to the reports provided for in section 1264(b)(2) of that Act. The Secretary of State may, consistent with applicable law, redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States consistent with applicable law.

Sec. 10. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General, is hereby authorized to determine that circumstances no longer warrant the blocking of the property and interests in property of a person listed in the Annex to this order, and to take necessary action to give effect to that determination.

Sec. 11. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to submit recurring and final reports to the Congress on the national emergency declared in this order, consistent with section 401(c) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1641(c)) and section 204(c) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1703(c)).

Sec. 12. This order is effective at 12:01 a.m., Eastern Standard Time, December 21, 2017.

Sec. 13. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 20, 2017.

ANNEX

1. Mukhtar Hamid Shah; Date of Birth (DOB) August 11, 1939; alt. DOB November 8, 1939; nationality, Pakistan

2. Angel Rondon Rijo; DOB July 16, 1950; nationality, Dominican Republic

3. Dan Gertler; DOB December 23, 1973; nationality, Israel; alt. nationality, Democratic Republic of the Congo

4. Maung Maung Soe; DOB March 1964; nationality, Burma

5. Yahya Jammeh; DOB May 25, 1965; nationality, The Gambia

6. Sergey Kusiuk; DOB December 1, 1966; nationality, Ukraine; alt. nationality, Russia

7. Benjamin Bol Mel; DOB January 3, 1978; alt. DOB December 24, 1978; nationality, South Sudan; alt. nationality, Sudan

8. Julio Antonio Juárez Ramírez; DOB December 1, 1980; nationality, Guatemala

9. Goulnora Islamovna Karimova; DOB July 8, 1972; nationality, Uzbekistan

10. Slobodan Tesic; DOB December 21, 1958; nationality, Serbia

11. Artem Yuryevich Chayka; DOB September 25, 1975; nationality, Russia

12. Gao Yan; DOB April 1963; nationality, China

13. Roberto Jose Rivas Reyes; DOB July 6, 1954; nationality, Nicaragua

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Aper the wikipedia article, this is what the US DOJ is looking into.

It was reported the FBI in the United States had begun investigations regarding money laundering involving 1MDB.[96][97][98]

The US Justice Department's international corruption unit has begun a probe looking into property purchases in the United States's involving Najib's step-son Riza Aziz and the transfer of millions of dollars into Najib's personal account.[99][100]

The probe is looking at properties that have been purchased by shell companies that belong to Riza Aziz and close family friend Jho Low.[101][102]

Investment banks such as JPMorgan Chase & Co., Deutsche Bank AG and Wells Fargo have been asked by the Justice Department to retain and turn over records that may be related to improper transfers from 1MDB.[103][104][105]

The FBI has issued subpoenas to several past and present employees of film production company Red Granite Pictures in regards to allegations that US$155 million was diverted from 1MDB to help financed the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street and which has Najib's stepson Riza Aziz as its co-founder and chairman.[106][107][108][109]

Also under scrutiny by the FBI and Department of Justice is the role of Goldman Sachs in allegations of money laundering and corruption.[110][111][112]

The FBI is now probing the connection between a regional top executive of global investment bank Goldman Sachs to Razak and the nature of the former's involvement in multibillion-dollar deals with 1MDB.[113]

Tim Leissner, the former chairman of Goldman Sachs' Southeast Asia branch and husband of Kimora Lee Leissner was issued a subpoena by the Justice Department as part of their investigations.[114][115][116]

The U.S. Department of Justice began moves to recover more than US$1 billion from people close to Najib and 1MDB.[117][118][119]

Assets include high-end properties in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Manhattan, New York City and London.[120][121]

Also included in the assets seizure was fine artwork, a private jet and royalties from the film Wolf of Wall Street and its production company Red Granite Pictures[122][123][124]

Within the lawsuit, a government official of high rank who had control over 1MDB was referred to as "Malaysian Official 1", and mentioned over 30 times.

"Malaysian Official 1" was alleged to have received around 681 million USD (2.797 billion MYR) of stolen money from 1MDB while returning most of it. In September 2016, Najib was identified as "Malaysian Official 1" by Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department and the Barisan Nasional strategic communications director. Dahlan also claimed that Najib was not named because he was "not part of this investigation".[125][126]

Malaysia's first lady allegedly received US$30 million worth of jewels financed with funds stolen from 1MDB fund

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Yep, my thoughts exactly. These are some of the people that Trump had in mind. Notice too how there was a scam involving Solar power. Same old Clinton Cabal.

[Liz]

In the White house with obama----Gambia's Jammeh Yahya (listed in Annex above)

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The yacht in question. Lifestyles of the rich and famous. / Robin Leach

[Liz]

We also need to determine the amounts of shady money these peole are giving to The Obama Foundation......and to his obscene Chicago non-library-—

Obama has stated he’s getting the billion dollar building built with “donations.”

Also how the Clintons got rich quick——looting Third World ****holes with criminals and embezzlers as leaders......masking criminality with phony do-good donations to the Clinton Foundation.

[txhurl]

I would bet Cheryl Mills is a close friend of this guy.

[Liz]

Nice insight......it’s always been a mystery how she got the millions needed for her development schemes in Sub-Sahara Africa AT THE SAME TIME she was cashing US govt checks as Hillary’s aide.

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Malaysia's first lady allegedly received US$30 million worth of jewels financed with funds stolen from 1MDB fund .

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Jho Low.

Low dated socialite Paris Hilton, Taiwanese singer Elva Hsiao. He was accused of presenting luxurious gifts to supermodel Miranda Kerr, and has even went as far as to invite Kerr on his US$250 million super yacht “ The Equanimity” between July and August 2014. Low gained early notoriety by spending extravagant sums in New York and Las Vegas parties.

[blam]

When I see any article about Malaysia, I always think about the rain forest there that hasn't been disturbed for 130 million years.

Taman Negara: The 130-Million-Year-Old Rainforest

As a contrast, Africa and South America were still attached 130 million years ago.

Some of the oldest human DNA is contained within the Orang Asli People in this same area.

Okay, excuse my 'off-subject' intrusion....carry on.

[Liz]

Hillary and Bol Mel (No 7 on Annex above).

[RedWing9]

[infool7]

PFL

[Boogieman]

“Australian model and actress Miranda Kerr handed over millions of dollars worth of jewellery that US authorities say were given to her by Mr Low, including a jewellery set gifted to her during an excursion aboard Equanimity in 2014.”

On the Hollywood rumor boards, “yachting” is a euphemism for models and actresses basically selling their bodies to rich men on private yacht “excursions”... looks like that was going on here.

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Indonesia police question luxury yacht crew in 1MDB probe

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian police on Thursday questioned the captain and crew of a luxury yacht seized in Bali at the request of U.S. authorities, probing alleged money laundering at a Malaysian state fund, they said.

The yacht was impounded in Bali on Wednesday amid a multi-billion dollar corruption investigation launched by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and tied to Malaysian state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Police seized the yacht, Equanimity, after receiving a letter on Feb. 21 from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) requesting help to enforce a court order, Indonesian National Police Spokesman Muhammad Iqbal Abduh said.

Police had questioned the captain and crew and would check their immigration papers and see if there was any evidence of a crime being committed, Abduh said in a statement.

Citing information provided by the FBI, he said the yacht’s Automated Identification System (AIS) had been switched off several times in waters around the Philippines and Singapore.

The AIS system uses satellites to pinpoint locations and switching it off would make it harder to detect the vessel.Over the past 180 days, the Equanimity sailed from the northeast to the northwest of Malaysia and Singapore, and then from the Indonesian island of Bali to Papua and back again, according to shipping data on Thomson Reuters Eikon. There are several points where its movements are unclear.

1MDB is at the center of money-laundering probes in at least six countries, including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore.A total of $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB by high-level officials of the fund and their associates, according to civil lawsuits filed by the DOJ in the past two years.Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up 1MDB in 2009 and previously served as chairman of its advisory board. He and the fund have denied any wrongdoing.

In August 2017, the DOJ asked for a stay on its civil lawsuits seeking to seize more than $1.7 billion in assets allegedly bought with stolen 1MDB funds because it was conducting a related criminal probe.

Among the assets sought is Equanimity, cited as a $250 million luxury yacht bought by Malaysian financier Jho Low, named as a key figure in the U.S. lawsuits.

The lawsuits said Low used proceeds diverted from 1MDB to buy Equanimity, which it described as a 300-foot (91-m) yacht registered in the Cayman Islands.

The head of the National Police special crimes investigation unit said Indonesian authorities were not looking for Low.

“We have an obligation to search for all on the wanted list or (anyone) included on an Interpol red notice. But I have not seen the name,” Agung Setya told Reuters.

Low’s whereabouts are unknown and his Hong Kong company has not responded to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for Low was quoted by Malaysia’s New Straits Times daily on Thursday as saying it was “disappointing that, rather than reflecting on the deeply flawed and politically motivated allegations, the DOJ is continuing with its pattern of global over reach - all based on entirely unsupported claims of wrongdoing.”

Additional reporting by Fergus Jensen and Rozanna Latiff in KUALA LUMPUR; Writing by Ed Davies; Editing by Nick Macfie