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Former Maldives president Abdulla Yameen, who is accused of using money stolen from state coffers, was charged with money laundering according to a local media report.
The case stems from an allegedly shady deal to lease islands for tourist resort development and the discovery of $1 million in his bank account.
The case has been filed at the criminal court, the prosecutor general’s office informed the media .
Yameen, who lost presidential election to Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in September 2018 after a five-year rule, is accused of using money stolen from state coffers, the police said last week, after wrapping up investigations, The Maldives Independent reported.
Under the 2014 anti-money laundering law, the offence carries a prison sentence between five to 15 years or a fine of up to $64,850.
Separate charges were sought over alleged false testimony to the Anti-Corruption Commission during its investigation into the theft of $90 million from the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC), the paper said.
