Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, embroiled in a billion-dollar corruption scandal involving the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) sovereign wealth fund, has returned home to serve the remainder of his prison sentence under house arrest. The 73-year-old was escorted by a heavily armed police convoy from Kuala Lumpur's jail to his residence on Tuesday evening, marking the end of a four-year stint behind bars following his conviction for embezzlement.
The 1MDB scandal, which came to light a decade ago, implicated not only Najib but also prominent figures from Malaysia to Goldman Sachs and Hollywood. Investigators estimate that approximately $4.5 billion was siphoned from the state-owned fund into private pockets, including that of Najib himself, with more than $1 billion reportedly ending up in accounts linked to him.
Critics argue that Najib's release from jail undermines efforts to combat corruption and question the legal basis for house arrest, as Malaysian law does not provide for such an arrangement. However, his mansion in one of Kuala Lumpur's most exclusive neighborhoods was declared a federal prison ahead of his homecoming on Tuesday. Najib denies wrongdoing but has been convicted at two separate trials, the first resulting in a 12-year sentence in 2020 and the second involving much larger sums of money in December 2025, for which he was sentenced to 15 years.
Najib's party paid a $12 million fine as part of the terms of a royal pardon granted by the King of Malaysia, allowing him to serve the remaining two years of his sentence at home. He is currently appealing against his 15-year prison sentence in the second trial and will begin serving that sentence after his house arrest ends, expected in August 2028.