PANAMA CITY: A Panamanian court on Friday acquitted 28 people charged with money laundering at the center of the “Panama Papers” scandal, the court said.
Judge Baloisa Marquinez “acquitted 28 people accused... of money laundering” relating to the now-defunct Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca, the court said in a statement.
Among those acquitted were the firm’s founders, Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca. The latter died in May in a Panamanian hospital.
During the trial, which was held in Panama City in April, the prosecution asked for 12 years in prison for the duo, the maximum sentence for money laundering.
However, Marquinez found that evidence collected from the law firm’s servers had not been gathered in line with due process, raising doubts about its “authenticity and integrity.”
The judge also ruled that “the rest of the evidence was not sufficient and conclusive to determine the criminal responsibility of the defendants,” the court statement said.
Leaked documents from Mossack Fonseca in 2016 revealed how many of the world’s wealthy stashed assets in offshore companies, triggering scores of investigations around the globe.
Others implicated included former British premier David Cameron, football star Lionel Messi, Argentina’s then-president Mauricio Macri and Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar, to name but a few.
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Panamanian court acquits 28 defendants in ‘Panama Papers’ trial
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Panamanian court acquits 28 defendants in ‘Panama Papers’ trial
- Prosecution asked for 12 years in prison for Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca, the maximum sentence for money laundering
- The duo were founders of now-defunct Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca
Malaysia drops appeal against acquittal of wife of ex-PM Najib in money laundering, tax evasion case
Malaysia drops appeal against acquittal of wife of ex-PM Najib in money laundering, tax evasion case
- Rosmah Mansor was widely scorned in Malaysia for her extravagant lifestyle and penchant for luxury handbags
- She was acquitted of 12 money laundering charges and five tax evasion charges by the Kuala Lumpur High Court
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian prosecutors have dropped their appeal against the acquittal of Rosmah Mansor, the wife of jailed former Prime Minister Najib Razak, in a case involving money laundering and tax evasion, saying they saw no prospect of success. Since 2018, the couple have been subject to multiple graft investigations surrounding Najib’s alleged role in the multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal. Both have repeatedly denied all wrongdoing.
Rosmah, widely scorned in Malaysia for her extravagant lifestyle and penchant for luxury handbags, was acquitted of 12 money laundering charges and five tax evasion charges by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in December 2024.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers initially decided to appeal the decision but withdrew its application on Tuesday, saying it could not definitively prove that Rosmah committed the offenses.
“If the appeal proceeded, the prosecution would not be able to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt as required in a criminal trial, as key witnesses needed to prove the charges against the accused have died,” the AGC said in a statement late on Thursday.
Amer Hamzah Arshad, a lawyer for Rosmah, said on Friday that they welcomed the prosecution’s appeal withdrawal, adding that Rosmah “maintained her innocence throughout.”
The decision does not affect other ongoing trials against Rosmah, the AGC said.
Rosmah is currently free on bail pending an appeal against a 10-year jail sentence in 2022 for soliciting and receiving bribes to help a company win a $279 million solar power supply project from Najib’s government.
The AGC’s appeal withdrawal against Rosmah’s acquittal comes ahead of major court verdicts involving Najib, who is serving a six-year jail sentence after being found guilty of graft and money laundering.
Najib’s conviction was one of several cases investigating his involvement in the alleged theft of billions of dollars from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state fund he helped establish in 2009 while he was premier. The Kuala Lumpur High Court will decide on December 22 whether the jailed former premier can serve his sentence under house arrest. Just days later on December 26, it will deliver its verdict in the biggest trial that Najib faces concerning 1MDB. Some 1MDB-linked charges against Najib have been dropped. He has denied all of the charges brought against him.
Rosmah, widely scorned in Malaysia for her extravagant lifestyle and penchant for luxury handbags, was acquitted of 12 money laundering charges and five tax evasion charges by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in December 2024.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers initially decided to appeal the decision but withdrew its application on Tuesday, saying it could not definitively prove that Rosmah committed the offenses.
“If the appeal proceeded, the prosecution would not be able to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt as required in a criminal trial, as key witnesses needed to prove the charges against the accused have died,” the AGC said in a statement late on Thursday.
Amer Hamzah Arshad, a lawyer for Rosmah, said on Friday that they welcomed the prosecution’s appeal withdrawal, adding that Rosmah “maintained her innocence throughout.”
The decision does not affect other ongoing trials against Rosmah, the AGC said.
Rosmah is currently free on bail pending an appeal against a 10-year jail sentence in 2022 for soliciting and receiving bribes to help a company win a $279 million solar power supply project from Najib’s government.
The AGC’s appeal withdrawal against Rosmah’s acquittal comes ahead of major court verdicts involving Najib, who is serving a six-year jail sentence after being found guilty of graft and money laundering.
Najib’s conviction was one of several cases investigating his involvement in the alleged theft of billions of dollars from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state fund he helped establish in 2009 while he was premier. The Kuala Lumpur High Court will decide on December 22 whether the jailed former premier can serve his sentence under house arrest. Just days later on December 26, it will deliver its verdict in the biggest trial that Najib faces concerning 1MDB. Some 1MDB-linked charges against Najib have been dropped. He has denied all of the charges brought against him.
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