The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said Paul Stadlen has agreed to return RM7.1 million linked to 1MDB funds.

“The money will be transferred to 1MDB’s trust account,” MACC said in a statement today.

As such, it said, it will withdraw its case against Stadlen.

Stadlen’s former company Apco came under scrutiny when it was revealed that the PR firm was paid a huge amount to promote campaigns by the government before it was eventually dismissed from its role.

MACC later confirmed that Stadlen had left the country before the 2018 general election.

He was charged in absentia at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court on Feb 20, 2019.

Earlier today, Umno lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun was freed by the sessions court in his RM15 million money laundering case.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) withdrew the charges after the senior lawyer paid a compound of RM590,587.26.

Hafarizam was accused of receiving RM15 milion from Najib in 2014 and 2015. He represented the former prime minister in his civil cases.

He said he felt vindicated from the money laundering case, which he described as “selective prosecution”.

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