KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 17): Riza Aziz claimed that he is an "innocent owner" of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-linked properties across the US and UK as he had no involvement or knowledge on 1MDB transactions, The Hollywood Reporter reported today, quoting US court papers Riza filed. Riza, who is Malaysia Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's stepson, is also the co-founder of Red Granite Pictures, which financed The Wolf of Wall Street movie. The Hollywood Reporter indicated that Riza had in the past week filed the court papers to halt the US Government's attempt to seize the 1MDB-linked real estate assets across Beverly Hills, New York and London. Today, The Hollywood Reporter indicated that Riza's lawyer Matthew Schwartz was demanding a dismissal, claiming that the US Government failed to include "essential detail" about the supposed crimes. Some of the money, it's asserted, went into Red Granite productions, and now the Government is looking to claw proceeds.

Source: The Edge Markets February 17, 2017 04:41 UTC