SHAH ALAM: Bank executive Mohd Faizal Hussin lived it high, with fancy cars and vacations to exotic destinations.
He bought shares, a Proton Perdana V6 and went on holidays to Amsterdam, London, Sydney and Melbourne.
Nothing wrong if it were his own money.
But he siphoned a whopping RM1.4 million from the account of American citizen Syed Vickar Ahamed, 67, a professor at a university in New York.
The professor travelled to Malaysia often and provided IT consultant work for companies here. From his projects, he saved up a large amount of money and kept his savings in Maybank.
Mohd Faizal's jet-setting lifestyle came to light when Syed Vickar called the bank one day and inquired about his account balance and found it was less than what it should be.
Mohd Faizal, 35, who was entrusted with handling large amounts of money including Syed Vickar's account, was yesterday sentenced to jail for 31 years and three months on 202 charges of criminal breach of trust, forgery and money laundering.
He was arrested by investigating officer ASP Foo Wei Min on June 29, 2004.
Mohd Faizal was found guilty by Sessions Court judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof on all charges -- 100 counts of forgery, 99 counts under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and another three of criminal breach of trust.
He committed the offences at the Sri Gombak Maybank branch, 11-13, Jalan SG 3/4 Taman Sri Gombak here, between Dec 24, 2002 and Sept 17, 2003.
Zabariah also fined him RM939,255.21, the amount which he had already used.
If he fails to pay the fine, he has to serve another 15 months in prison.
"You have breached the trust given to you to handle customers' money. The victim in this case is a foreigner and a premier account holder," she told the accused when sentencing him.
"What you have done has affected the country's economy and I find no reason why a light sentence should be given to you."
She said it was an offence to use other people's money for his own enjoyment.
"Every penny made should be 'halal' and from your own effort," she added.
In pressing for a deterrent sentence, deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud said the amount involved in this case was more than RM1 million.
"He had breached the trust given by customers and this trust cannot be quantified.
"This will also leave a negative impact in financial institutions."
He said Mohd Faizal's actions had also affected the confidence placed by local and international investors.
Awang Armadajaya urged for the sentences to run consecutively, as each charge was of a different transaction.
Meanwhile, DPP Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi said money laundering offences were becoming global.
"The accused used money obtained from illegal means to support his lifestyle.
"Each money laundering case is closely watched internationally and would also be reported in journals so that the effectiveness of the act can be monitored."
Muhammad Saifuddin urged the court to impose a fine amounting to RM939,255.21, which Mohd Faizal had used, and for the court to seize the Proton Perdana V6 which the accused had purchased.
In mitigation, Mohd Faizal's counsel Zainal Ithnin pleaded for leniency as the accused had surrendered to the Da-mansara Utama police station and had given his full cooperation during investigation.
"He has repented and learnt his lesson not to commit such offence again," he said.
Source: The New Straits Times
Nothing wrong if it were his own money.
But he siphoned a whopping RM1.4 million from the account of American citizen Syed Vickar Ahamed, 67, a professor at a university in New York.
The professor travelled to Malaysia often and provided IT consultant work for companies here. From his projects, he saved up a large amount of money and kept his savings in Maybank.
Mohd Faizal, 35, who was entrusted with handling large amounts of money including Syed Vickar's account, was yesterday sentenced to jail for 31 years and three months on 202 charges of criminal breach of trust, forgery and money laundering.
He was arrested by investigating officer ASP Foo Wei Min on June 29, 2004.
Mohd Faizal was found guilty by Sessions Court judge Datin Zabariah Mohd Yusof on all charges -- 100 counts of forgery, 99 counts under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, and another three of criminal breach of trust.
He committed the offences at the Sri Gombak Maybank branch, 11-13, Jalan SG 3/4 Taman Sri Gombak here, between Dec 24, 2002 and Sept 17, 2003.
Zabariah also fined him RM939,255.21, the amount which he had already used.
If he fails to pay the fine, he has to serve another 15 months in prison.
"You have breached the trust given to you to handle customers' money. The victim in this case is a foreigner and a premier account holder," she told the accused when sentencing him.
"What you have done has affected the country's economy and I find no reason why a light sentence should be given to you."
She said it was an offence to use other people's money for his own enjoyment.
"Every penny made should be 'halal' and from your own effort," she added.
In pressing for a deterrent sentence, deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud said the amount involved in this case was more than RM1 million.
"He had breached the trust given by customers and this trust cannot be quantified.
"This will also leave a negative impact in financial institutions."
He said Mohd Faizal's actions had also affected the confidence placed by local and international investors.
Awang Armadajaya urged for the sentences to run consecutively, as each charge was of a different transaction.
Meanwhile, DPP Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi said money laundering offences were becoming global.
"The accused used money obtained from illegal means to support his lifestyle.
"Each money laundering case is closely watched internationally and would also be reported in journals so that the effectiveness of the act can be monitored."
Muhammad Saifuddin urged the court to impose a fine amounting to RM939,255.21, which Mohd Faizal had used, and for the court to seize the Proton Perdana V6 which the accused had purchased.
In mitigation, Mohd Faizal's counsel Zainal Ithnin pleaded for leniency as the accused had surrendered to the Da-mansara Utama police station and had given his full cooperation during investigation.
"He has repented and learnt his lesson not to commit such offence again," he said.
Source: The New Straits Times
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