Mauritian anti-graft agency seeking Leissner's accomplice in Thailand

The Mauritian anti-corruption agency or ICAC says it is looking forward to interrogate an individual, not named by the agency, linked to the 1MDB fraud in Mauritius.

The ICAC, sources say, believes the accomplice, a Mauritian, is not in Mauritius and may have fled to Thailand.

The Mauritian, the agency says, is holder of various passports, working for the ancient top gun of Goldman Sachs, Tim Leissner. A red notice from Interpol may be issued for the Mauritian.

Leissner, the Wall Street Journal says, has strong contacts in Thailand and wanted to use these contacts to buy a bank in Mauritius.

The operations failed after the Bank of Mauritius found something fishy in the transaction.

The Thailand link with the 1MDB money laundering via the Century Banking Corp in Mauritius seems be the focus of the ICAC.

The ICAC and FBI believes there were illegal transfer of funds that transited via the Century Bank and ended in accounts in banks in Thailand.

Local media sources say the ICAC-FBI investigation show damning conclusions that Century Banking allowed 1MDB money transfers through accounts at the bank.

The fraud busters believe the transfers amount to millions of rupees, possible millions of dollars. There is no definite figure given by the local anti-corruption agency.

THAILAND

But they are certain the funds were diverted from the 1MDB sovereign funds in Malaysia and the ultimate beneficiary is one of the fraudsters who took refuge in Thailand.

The ICAC in Mauritius classified the case as money laundering and the bank’s failure to follow procedures.

Local observers believe the Mauritian authorities have to settle the Century banking-1MDB problem in a definitive manner.

The country is under the strict surveillance of the Financial Action Task Force of the European Union.

CENTURY BANKING CEO

The CEO of the Century Banking Corp, Munir Lalmahamood, gave a statement to the ICAC.

A warrant of arrest was issued by the ICAC after he failed to respond to the anti-corruption agency’s call to interrogate him on Tuesday.

A media source told WFTV.LIVE the bank has seven days to fight against the revocation of its licence by the Bank of Mauritius.

The BOM decided to revoke the bank’s licence on Monday. The final decision of the BOM on the status of the bank will be known in 14 days.