- Title: Goldman Sachs may admit guilt, pay $2 bln fine to settle U.S. 1MDB probes
- Date: 19th December 2019
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (FILE) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GOLDMAN SACHS HEADQUARTERS
- Embargoed: 2nd January 2020 18:38
- Keywords: $2 billion fine Goldman Sachs Group Malaysia corruption scandal Najib Razak Roger Ng Tim Leissner fund violating U.S. bribery laws
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, + WASHINGTON, D.C., + LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, KUALA LUMPUR, + PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, + WASHINGTON, D.C., + LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, KUALA LUMPUR, + PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA
- Country: USA
- Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA005BAN7WR1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Goldman Sachs Group is in talks with the U.S. government and a state regulator to possibly pay up to $2 billion and admit guilt to resolve investigations into its role in a Malaysia corruption scandal, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The bank and U.S. officials have discussed a deal in which a Goldman subsidiary in Asia would plead guilty to violating U.S. bribery laws, the Wall Street Journal first reported on Thursday (December 19).
The discussions could also involve Goldman installing an independent monitor to oversee and recommend changes to its compliance procedures.
Involved in the discussions are three federal regulators - the U.S. Department of Justice, Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Reserve - and New York's Department of Financial Services, according to the source.
In a statement, the bank said that settlement talks are ongoing and it continues to cooperate with regulators.
The SEC declined to comment.
Representatives for the other regulators did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A settlement could be announced in late January, sources familiar with negotiations said.
The government of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak set up the 1MDB fund in 2009, and the U.S. Justice Department estimated $4.5 billion was misappropriated by high-level fund officials and their associates between 2009 and 2014.
Goldman has been investigated by regulators in at least 14 countries, including the United States, Malaysia, Singapore and others, for its underwriting role and what it did and did not know at the time of the transactions.
In November 2018, the U.S. Justice Department filed criminal charges against two former Goldman Sachs bankers tied to the scandal, Tim Leissner and Roger Ng.
According to the U.S. Justice Department, Goldman earned $600 million in fees for its work with 1MDB. Leissner, Ng and others received large bonuses in connection with that revenue.
The bank has consistently tried to distance itself from the scandal, saying Leissner and Ng worked to conceal their criminal activities from bank management.
Leissner pleaded guilty to the charges last year.
Ng pleaded not guilty to charges in May, and his case is currently pending in federal court in Brooklyn.
Spokespeople for Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and the attorney general of Malaysia did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
(Production: Aleksandra Michalska) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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