KUALA LUMPUR – Under the glare of his cross-examination, former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner admitted he “lied a lot” and was not good at lying, but has now “turned over a new chapter”.
Leissner, who is the prosecution’s star witness in his former colleague Roger Ng’s criminal trial, faces defence counsel Marc Agnifilo, who is seeking to shred the witness’ credibility at the stand.
So far, Ng’s defence team is hoping to paint Leissner as the architect of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1DMB) scandal who is lying about their involvement.
Agnifilo opened Leissner’s cross-examination about the lies the former banker admitted telling government officials, company bosses, and his wives and girlfriends.
“It’s fair to say you’ve lied a lot in your life?” Agnifilo reportedly asked
To that, Leissner replied: “I lied a lot, sir, and I regret those times.I turned over a new chapter.”
He also said he lied to prosecutors initially, pushing the blame to Ng and Leissner’s ex-wife Judy Chan Leissner.
“You implicated the mother of your children in criminal activity?” Bloomberg reported Agnifilo as asking.
“I am not proud and since then I have taken responsibility,” Leissner said.
He added that he was “really scared” when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) approached him but later wanted to do “the right thing” so he could look his children “in the eye”.
“Do you think you’re good at lying?” Agnifilo asked.
“I don’t think so,” Leissner replied.
Ng had said that Leissner is lying in a bid to reduce prison time. Leissner pleaded guilty in 2018 to a count of conspiracy to violate US anti-bribery laws and to conspiring to launder money.
Meanwhile, Leissner said when the FBI subpoenaed him in February 2016, Ng and wife Lim Hwee Bin suggested consulting a feng shui master to ask if they “would be in trouble”, reported Reuters.
He added later the trio – himself, Ng and Lim – decided to concoct a story to implicate Chan, Reuters reported. Lim is also expected to testify for the defence.
Last week, Leissner laid bare his cheating, lying, and scheming ways – a tactic typically used to get ahead of the coming cross-examination by the defence.
He said he spent millions on a US$50 million (RM209.6 million) boat, bought part of the Inter Milan team, a Manhattan apartment, downpayment for a Los Angeles house with then wife Kimora Lee Simmons, and investments in a media company All Def Digital Inc, and an energy drinks maker Celsius Holdings Inc.
Prosecutors have accused Goldman Sachs of diverting US$4.5 billion as kickbacks after raising US$6.5 billion for 1MDB, from 2009 to 2014, through bond sales and earning US$600 million in fees.
Leissner, who was then Goldman Sachs’ Southeast Asia head, had testified he gave Ng US$35 million in kickbacks. Ng is the only banker to be put on trial.
Goldman Sachs in 2020 paid a US$3 billion fine and its Malaysian unit pleaded guilty in US court. – The Vibes, March 3, 2022
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