Singapore slaps 10-year prohibition order against former Goldman Sachs banker

Singapore slaps 10-year prohibition order against former Goldman Sachs banker

SINGAPORE - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued a 10-year prohibition order on Monday against Tim Leissner, former Southeast Asia chairman at Goldman Sachs, who it said had made false statements on behalf of his bank without its knowledge or consent.

Leissner was responsible for managing the relationship with Malaysia's 1MDB fund when Goldman Sachs was engaged to arrange three bond issues from 2012 to 2013. MAS had flagged its intention to ban Leissner last December.

"MAS will not tolerate conduct by any finance professional that threatens to undermine trust and confidence in Singapore's financial system. MAS will not hesitate to bar such individuals from carrying out regulated activities in the financial industry," Ong Chong Tee, deputy managing director of financial supervision at MAS said in a statement.

Read also: Ex-Goldman banker linked to 1MDB scandal had jet-set lifestyle with glamorous wife

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Under the order, Leissner is prohibited for 10 years from performing any regulated activity under the Securities and Futures Act and taking part, directly or indirectly, in the management of any capital market services firm in Singapore.

There was no immediate response to a request for comment from Leissner's lawyer, Marc Harris of Scheper Kim & Harris LLP, outside of normal US business hours.

Last year, the central bank ordered Swiss banks Falcon Private Bank and BSI Bank to cease operations in Singapore, in its biggest crackdown on alleged money-laundering activities connected with 1MDB.

1MDB has denied any wrongdoing.

MAS also said on Monday that it had served notice of its intention to issue prohibition orders against Jens Fred Sturzenegger, former Singapore branch manager of Falcon Private Bank, and Yak Yew Chee and Yvonne Seah Yew Foong, former employees of BSI Bank, who were convicted by Singapore courts for their involvement in 1MDB-related breaches.

Yak's lawyer Lee Teck Leng said his client respected MAS's decision. There was no immediate response from Seah's lawyer, while Sturzenegger's lawyer declined to comment.

Read also: Ex-BSI banker Yeo Jiawei jailed 30 months in 1MDB-linked witness tampering case

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