SINGAPORE/SYDNEY (Reuters) - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has asked financial institutions to provide details of any transactions linked to Malaysian state investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) as part of its probe into possible money-laundering in the city state.
The statement came late Thursday after The Australian newspaper reported earlier this week that it believes that Singapore's central bank has asked close to 40 banks with a presence in Singapore to provide information linked to 1MDB. The paper said flows into Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ)
ANZ and NAB both declined to comment.
"As part of its investigations into possible money-laundering and other offences in Singapore, (MAS) has been conducting a thorough review of various transactions as well as fund flows through our banking system," MAS said in a statement. "MAS has requested a number of financial institutions to furnish information relating to the review."
The central bank disclosed neither the number of banks involved in its review, nor the names of the Australian banks mentioned in The Australian report.
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"Given the cross-border nature of these fund flows, MAS is also working closely with and seeking clarifications from relevant authorities in other financial centres," it said.
Singapore has seized a large number of bank accounts as part of an investigation into possible money-laundering linked to 1MDB. These included the bank accounts of a private banker for Swiss wealth manager BSI.
(Reporting by Saeed Azhar in SINGAPORE and Byron Kaye in SYDNEY; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
