Gnanaraja slapped with 68 counts of money laundering involving RM11.4m
G Gnanaraja has been slapped with 68 counts of money laundering involving RM11.4 million, a week after being accused of deceiving the managing director of the contractor for the Penang undersea tunnel project.
The 38-year-old businessperson claimed trial to the charges read to him before Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob today...
G Gnanaraja has been slapped with 68 counts of money laundering involving RM11.4 million, a week after being accused of deceiving the managing director of the contractor for the Penang undersea tunnel project.
The 38-year-old businessperson claimed trial to the charges read to him before Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob today.
Most of the charges pertain to Gnanaraja allegedly laundering millions in illegal proceeds.
The funds were allegedly transferred from the bank account of Bumi Muhibah Capital Holding Sdn Bhd to the accounts of various entities – such as the Home Ministry, the Internal Revenue Board and Zenith Consulting Services Sdn Bhd – as well as to other companies and individuals.
Gnanaraja was alleged to have committed these offences in a series of transactions, involving amounts between RM18,550 to RM2.43 million, at a commercial bank branch at KLCC, between July 28, 2017, and Jan 18, 2018.
The accused, said to be the director and owner of Bumi Muhibah Capital Holding, is alleged to have transferred RM2.2 million in illegal proceeds from the company's account via telegraphic transfer to the Home Ministry’s account on Sept 19, 2017.
He is also alleged to have transferred RM108,580.80 in illegal proceeds via cheque to Zenith Consulting Services' account on Oct 25, 2017, as well as RM15,614.70 to the IRB account on Jan 15, 2018.
Besides Zenith Consulting Services, the other companies named in the charges are J&J Renovation Enterprise, IMS Motorsport, Mulia Motor Corporation Sdn Bhd, Abitex Designs (M) Sdn Bhd, Syarikat Wana Motor Sdn Bhd, Susunan Simfoni Sdn Bhd, Single Digit Sdn Bhd, Matthew Ong & Associate, Digital Tourism Sdn Bhd, Wheelex Sdn Bhd, Desa Home Theatre Sdn Bhd, Blue Ribbon Design Sdn Bhd, CK Films (M) Sdn Bhd, Sonic Films Sdn Bhd, Safz Auto Sdn Bhd, Twisted Media Sdn Bhd, Destiny Picture Entertainment, Starparc Exotic Cafe, Waves PR Sdn Bhd, Fiesto Pertama Sdn Bhd, and JRW Creative Enterprise.
With regard to Matthew Ong & Associate, Gnanaraja was alleged to have transferred RM2.43 million in illegal proceeds via cheque to the law firm's account on Aug 28, 2017.
The individuals named in the charges are Koh Yee Phok, 39, Tan Su Cheng, 39, Asim Qureshi (date of birth not stated), You Hui Koon, 39, Lim Voi Heng, 70, Lee Sue Wee, 83, Teh Eng Soon, 16, S Jeewananthan, 3, K Thiagu, 8, K Boobalan (no age stated), and Kee Bee Sim, 43.
Three of the charges involve the disposal of illegal proceeds via cheque from the Bumi Muhibah Capital Holding – a sum of RM400,000 on Oct 19, 2017, RM350,000 on Dec 14, 2017, and RM300,000 on Jan 16, 2018.
The charges were laid out under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds from Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable by up to 15 years' jail, and fine not less than five times the amount of illegal proceeds, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Maintaining composure
Gnanaraja was composed when the charges were read out to him – which took more than an hour to complete – as his wife and other family members looked on from the public gallery.
Rozina granted the accused RM50,000 bail with two sureties, with a plot of land in Cheras as part of the bail. The two sureties are his mother-in-law and brother-in-law, both owners of the land.
Gnanaraja had already been ordered to surrender his passport when he was charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court last week.
Rozina also allowed an application by the prosecution to transfer the case to the Sessions Court in Shah Alam, where the businessperson is facing a similar case.
The judge, however, told both the MACC deputy public prosecutor Allan Suman Pillai and Gnanaraja's lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent that a joint hearing of the current case with that in Shah Alam could only be decided by the latter court.
Last Wednesday, Gnanaraja claimed trial at the Shah Alam Sessions Court to duping Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli (above) into paying him RM19 million.
He had allegedly convinced Zarul that he could use his political connections to close an MACC probe on the latter.
The matter in the Shah Alam Sessions Court is set for mention on May 6.
Last February, the MACC seized RM7.5 million in cash and property from a businessperson who allegedly received RM19 million to help stop an investigation into the Penang tunnel project.
This followed a letter of demand by Zenith to the businessperson to return the sum, after the businessperson allegedly failed to deliver on "consultancy" work in July 2017.
Described on his website as a Malaysian actor, film producer, social entrepreneur and public speaker, Gnanaraja also has a number of business interests.
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