KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) will summon several local celebrities next week to provide statements regarding their alleged links to a financial consulting firm being investigated under Op Sky.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the investigation found the celebrities had been paid by the company for promotional purposes, including acting as its ambassador.
“The individuals will be called next week. Checks revealed they received payments of up to RM400,000 over a period of one to two years for their role as company ambassadors,” he said when contacted here today.
The MACC recently busted a corruption and money laundering syndicate involving a financial consultancy firm and officers from several banks.
The breakthrough came after 12 individuals were arrested during an operation by MACC’s Anti-Money Laundering Division, in collaboration with Bank Negara Malaysia, codenamed Op Sky, which targeted 24 residential and office premises in the Klang Valley.
To date, 27 individuals have been detained, comprising 18 bank officers, eight employees of the financial consultancy firm, and a member of the public.
All of them have since been released on bail by the MACC after their remand periods ended.
In the operation, MACC also seized about 4,000 documents and froze 98 bank accounts, with a total value of RM17,403,644.
— Bernama
