KUALA LUMPUR, May 7 — Malaysia is seeking to extradite former Goldman Sachs partner Tim Leissner from the United States, marking its ongoing efforts to address the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.

According to WSJ, the Malaysian government submitted the extradition request to the US Department of Justice in August last year, with an Interpol red notice issued for Leissner in November.

The notice alleges Leissner violated Malaysian capital markets law, which carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years if found guilty.

Leissner, formerly Goldman’s top banker on 1MDB, pleaded guilty in the US in 2018 to conspiring to launder money and bribe foreign officials.

He admitted that he and his family received between US$50 million and US$60 million (RM222 million to RM267 million) in kickbacks.

Leissner remains in the US awaiting sentencing, which has been postponed more than 10 times, with the next hearing set for May 29.

WSJ reported that Malaysian authorities are pursuing Leissner’s extradition before he can potentially return to his native Germany, where he would likely avoid such requests.

The 1MDB scandal, involving the misappropriation of over US$4.5 billion (RM19.9 billion), has led to global investigations and the downfall of a former Malaysian prime minister.

Financier Jho Low, accused of orchestrating the theft with help from Goldman executives, remains a fugitive.

Goldman Sachs facilitated three bond offerings for 1MDB between 2012 and 2013 totalling US$6.5 billion (RM28.8 billion). While the funds were intended for Malaysia’s economic development, much of the money was allegedly siphoned off by Low, with the involvement of Leissner and Roger Ng, another former Goldman banker.

Ng, convicted in the US for conspiring to launder money and bribing officials, returned to Malaysia under a bilateral agreement after his sentencing. WSJ reported that he is assisting Malaysian authorities with ongoing investigations, providing new details about Leissner and Goldman’s role in the scandal.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has vowed to revisit the 2020 settlement between Goldman and Malaysia. The agreement included a US$2.5 billion (RM11.1 billion) cash payment and guarantees for US$1.4 billion (RM6.2 billion) in asset recovery.

Anwar had said that the deal did not adequately compensate Malaysia for its losses.

Goldman has maintained that the settlement was conclusive and binding. Arbitration proceedings between the bank and Malaysia over additional compensation are currently underway.