New Jail Term for Ex-Malaysian Leader Najib Razak in Corruption Scandal

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak received a new 15-year prison sentence and a $2.8 billion fine on Friday for corruption related to the 1MDB scandal. The Malaysian High Court found Najib guilty on multiple counts of abuse of power and money laundering for depositing over $500 million into his personal account. This latest ruling adds to his existing sentence for stealing millions from the 1MDB fund, a scandal that led to his political downfall in 2018. Despite previous reprieves, including a reduced sentence and dropped charges in related cases, the court denied his recent bid to serve the remainder of his prior term at home. The financier Jho Low, a key figure in the 1MDB scandal, remains at large.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday for abuse of power and money laundering related to the 1MDB state funds scandal. The verdict, delivered in Putrajaya, found him guilty on multiple charges involving the misappropriation of nearly 2.3 billion Malaysian ringgit from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad fund. This is Najib's second major conviction related to the 1MDB scandal, following a previous conviction in 2020 for embezzlement involving a smaller sum. The 1MDB scandal, which surfaced a decade ago, involved the alleged siphoning of $4.5 billion from the state-owned fund. Najib maintains his innocence, claiming he was misled by advisors, but the courts have rejected his defense.

On December 26, 2025, former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was found guilty by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering. The charges are linked to the 1MDB scandal, involving the illegal transfer of approximately 2.2 billion Malaysian ringgit ($543m) from the state-owned wealth fund. This is Najib's second trial related to the 1MDB scandal; he was previously convicted in 2020 on similar charges and sentenced to 12 years, later reduced. Najib claims the charges are politically motivated, but the judge cited "incontrovertible evidence" of abuse of power. Sentencing for this latest conviction is yet to be announced, with each charge carrying a potential 15-20 year prison term.

In December 2025, a Malaysian High Court rejected former Prime Minister Najib Razak's bid to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. Najib, imprisoned since August 2022 for his role in the 1MDB scandal, sought to compel authorities to execute a royal order, purportedly issued as part of a pardon, allowing him to serve his sentence at home. However, the court ruled that while the royal order existed, it was not valid because the former king should have consulted the country's pardons board before issuing it. The judge stated that the king could not grant house arrest independently and that no legal provision exists for such a mechanism in Malaysia. Najib's lawyer described the ruling as "shocking" and announced that he will appeal the verdict.