KUALA LUMPUR: Hollywood producer Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz has been ordered by High Court in order to furnish documents and correspondence, including one particular he has with meandering businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) in an US$250mil (RM1. 03bil) lawsuit filed by the sovereign prosperity fund.
This really is following a decision by Justice Amarjeet Singh that allowed a software by 1MDB and its particular three subsidiaries — 1MDB Energy Holdings Ltd, 1MDB Energy Ltd and 1MDB Energy (Langat) Ltd – for discovery of documents in the lawsuit.
In the decision, which was via e-mail exchange, the particular judge has given 30 days for the defendants to comply with the order and for the expenses to be within the cause.
In the notice of application for that discovery of files, filed on January 28, the plaintiffs requested for files and correspondence between Low and Riza between 2009 plus 2015, among others.
1MDB is looking for receipt and files related to a sum of US$10, 173, 104 by Red Granitic Pictures Inc (second defendant), and invoice and documents related to US$238mil by Reddish Granite Capital Limited (third defendant).
The documents included bank statements plus loan agreements.
1MDB also wanted Riza’s 2012 ALL OF US tax returns, documents and correspondence on the buy of movie posters and memorabilia through the owner and leader of Cinema Archives between Oct 2012 and March 2014, as well as documents in relation to the purchase of real estate in New York, California and London.
The case continues to be fixed for further medical case management before the judge on Sept 12.
Lawyers Datuk Hariharan Tara Singh, Reduced Zhi Jie and Syazwani Mohd Zawawi represented the defendants.
The injured parties are represented by lawyers Rabindra T. Nathan, Lim Jun Rui and Vanessa Thong.
Upon May 7, a year ago, 1MDB and its subsidiaries sued Riza great companies for apparently misappropriating US$250mil (RM1. 03bil), which was said to have been used for real estate purchases and financing movie productions.
According to the writ of summons, 1MDB stated that Riza got received approximately US$250mil in funds which were misappropriated from the sovereign wealth fund simply by its officers plus their associates this year and 2012.
It said that Riza “knew or inside the have known those funds had been misappropriated” and had allegedly used funds for their personal benefit and for the advantage of their associates, including for the purposes of financing movie productions and purchasing various property.
1MDB wants, among others, a courtroom declaration that Riza and the two businesses are liable for the misappropriated funds and alternatively, a declaration which the plaintiffs are entitled to repayment of the said funds allegedly received by the three defendants on the basis of unjust enrichment as a result of the misappropriation.
In his statement of defence, Riza stated the monies to create Hollywood movies had been loans from the Saudi Arabia royal along with not funds from 1MDB.
This individual said as an unfamiliar film producer, it had been hard to obtain bank loans and therefore he searched for loans from people or companies.
Red Granite Pictures is the studio at the rear of the 2013 movie The Wolf associated with Wall Street, aimed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie.
On Jan 28, 1MDB submitted for the discovery of documents to obtain the documents and correspondence through Riza, the stepson of former primary minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
In a supporting affidavit filed by 1MDB director Mohd Hisyamuddin Awang Abu Bakar, he said the documents sought would help the plaintiff’s claim in the suit.
In an affidavit-in-reply, Riza said this individual believed the paperwork requested by the injured parties was merely a fishing expedition to obtain more info from him and by allowing the application would tantamount to an oppression against him.