KUALA LUMPUR: 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and 10 other companies have filed a lawsuit against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor over the purchase of luxury items amounting to over US$346 million, alleged to have been obtained from misappropriated 1MDB funds.
In addition to 1MDB, the lawsuit filed yesterday in the High Court here through Lim Chee Wee Partnership also lists five of its subsidiaries, namely 1MDB Energy Holdings Limited; 1MDB Energy Limited; 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited; Global Diversified Investment Company Limited; and SRC International Sdn Bhd as the first to sixth plaintiffs.
The other five companies are Affinity Equity International Partners Limited; Alsen Chance Holdings Limited; Blackrock Commodities (Global) Limited; Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners Limited; and Brightstone Jewellery Limited, listed as the seventh to eleventh plaintiffs.
All the plaintiffs have named Rosmah, the wife of former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, and a woman named Shabnam Naraindas Daswani (also known as Natasha Mirpuri) as the first and second defendants.
The plaintiffs are contending that the luxury items, such as jewelry, watches, and handbags, were acquired or obtained by Rosmah or the second defendant not with Rosmah’s personal funds, but rather with funds misappropriated from the first to sixth plaintiffs.
“The funds were channeled through various offshore entities, including the seventh to eleventh plaintiffs, before being disbursed to 48 different vendors for the purchase of all these luxury items, with a total of 320 payments amounting to USD346,010,489,“ read the statement of claim.
Therefore, among other claims, all the companies are demanding that Rosmah pay USD346,010,489 or such other amount as the court may deem appropriate.
The plaintiffs are also seeking an order for Shabnam to pay damages or compensation to be assessed later.
Furthermore, the plaintiffs have requested declarations, including one asserting that the first to sixth plaintiffs hold rightful ownership of the luxury items, currently purported to be in Rosmah’s possession
Also sought are aggravated and exemplary damages, costs, and other reliefs deemed fit by the court.
The case management of the lawsuit is scheduled for May 24.
