Malaysia’s Former Prime Minister Najib Razak Sentenced to Fifteen Years in Prison and Fined Two Point Eight Billion Dollars in 1MDB Corruption Trial
A Malaysian High Court convicts Najib Razak on abuse of power and money laundering charges tied to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal, imposing a substantial prison term and fine.
A Malaysian High Court on Friday, December twenty-sixth, 2025, sentenced former Prime Minister Najib Razak to fifteen years in prison and fined him eleven point four billion ringgit, equivalent to approximately two point eight billion dollars, after finding him guilty on multiple charges of abuse of power and money laundering in connection with the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
Najib, aged seventy-two, was convicted on all four counts of abuse of power and all twenty-one counts of money laundering relating to around two point two eight billion ringgit allegedly siphoned from the state investment fund into his personal accounts.
The judge ordered that the sentences be served concurrently, meaning Najib will serve the additional fifteen-year term after completing a prior sentence he is currently serving in relation to another 1MDB-linked case.
The accused has long denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the funds at issue were a political donation and that he was misled by subordinates and associates, including fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low.
The court rejected these assertions, finding strong evidence of his direct involvement and oversight in the misuse of 1MDB funds.
The 1MDB scandal, one of the largest corruption cases in recent history, saw investigators estimate that at least four point five billion dollars were misappropriated from the fund through complex international transactions and shell companies.
A significant portion of these funds allegedly ended up in Najib’s personal bank accounts, while other proceeds were spent on luxury items and entertainment ventures.
Najib’s legal team has indicated plans to appeal the verdict.
The former prime minister, who founded 1MDB in two thousand nine during his tenure as both prime minister and finance minister, has been imprisoned since earlier convictions in related cases.
Despite his diminished role in formal politics, he retains influence within his party, the United Malays National Organisation, which remains a key actor in Malaysian political life.
Najib, aged seventy-two, was convicted on all four counts of abuse of power and all twenty-one counts of money laundering relating to around two point two eight billion ringgit allegedly siphoned from the state investment fund into his personal accounts.
The judge ordered that the sentences be served concurrently, meaning Najib will serve the additional fifteen-year term after completing a prior sentence he is currently serving in relation to another 1MDB-linked case.
The accused has long denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the funds at issue were a political donation and that he was misled by subordinates and associates, including fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low.
The court rejected these assertions, finding strong evidence of his direct involvement and oversight in the misuse of 1MDB funds.
The 1MDB scandal, one of the largest corruption cases in recent history, saw investigators estimate that at least four point five billion dollars were misappropriated from the fund through complex international transactions and shell companies.
A significant portion of these funds allegedly ended up in Najib’s personal bank accounts, while other proceeds were spent on luxury items and entertainment ventures.
Najib’s legal team has indicated plans to appeal the verdict.
The former prime minister, who founded 1MDB in two thousand nine during his tenure as both prime minister and finance minister, has been imprisoned since earlier convictions in related cases.
Despite his diminished role in formal politics, he retains influence within his party, the United Malays National Organisation, which remains a key actor in Malaysian political life.