Lee Hsien Loong v Leong Sze Hian (c) [2021] SGHC 66 On 20 July 2016, the United States Department of Justice announced through a press release that it had filed civil forfeiture complaints seeking the forfeiture and recovery of more than US$ 1 bn in assets associated with an international conspiracy to launder funds misappropriated from 1MDB. This was also reported in the Straits Times; (d) On 2 September 2016, the Straits Times reported that it was Mr Najib whom the United States Department of Justice alleged had received large sums of 1MDB’s funds through his personal accounts; (e) In 2016 and 2017, it was reported by the Straits Times and Channel News Asia that a number of bankers in Singapore had been charged with and convicted of money laundering and other offences in connection with 1MDB; (f) On 21 May 2018, the Straits Times reported that the Malaysian government was investigating possible criminal conduct in relation to 1MDB, and had raided several residences linked to Mr Najib; (g) Over the course of July to September 2018, the Straits Times and Channel News Asia reported on the charges which Mr Najib faced. These included charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering, and abuse of power. In any event, the defendant does not appear to seriously contend that knowledge of 1MDB and its association with corruption, abuse of power, and fraud is not within the scope of the reasonable person’s general knowledge. 13