Malaysia files criminal charges against Goldman Sachs in 1MDB probe

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia said on Monday it has filed criminal charges against Goldman Sachs and two of the U.S. bank's former employees in connection with a corruption and money laundering probe at state fund 1MDB.

Goldman Sachs has been under scrutiny for its role in helping raise funds through bond offerings for 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), which is the subject of investigations in at least six countries.

Malaysia's Attorney General Tommy Thomas said criminal charges under the country's securities laws were filed on Monday against Goldman Sachs, its former bankers Tim Leissner and Roger Ng, former 1MDB employee Jasmine Loo and financier Jho Low in connection with the bond offerings.

"The charges arise from the commission and abetment of false or misleading statements by all the accused in order to dishonestly misappropriate $2.7 billion from the proceeds of three bonds issued by the subsidiaries of 1MDB, which were arranged and underwritten by Goldman Sachs," Thomas said in a statement.

(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)