The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) scandal was a major corruption scandal in the Maldives. In the scheme, more than $90 million was embezzled from Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation. The scandal was made public by a 2016 investigation in Al Jazeera.[1] It culminated in the conviction and imprisonment of former president Abdulla Yameen.
Details
editThe embezzlement began ahead of the 2014 Maldivian parliamentary election, where funds from MMPRC were used to cover election costs and broker deals for votes in parliament. A second deal involved the leases of at least 50 islands being obtained by private companies for tourism development without public tender, for the benefit of several Maldivian government officials.[2][3]
It implicated former president Abdulla Yameen, who was charged with corruption and money laundering in 2019 in relation to the deals.[4] He was convicted in 2022, and sentenced to 11 years in prison.[5] A number of other lawmakers were also implicated.[3] As of 2023,[update] Maldivian Police and the Anti-Corruption Commission have investigated 338 people in connection with the scandal.[6] On April 18, 2024, Abdulla Yameen's 11-year prison sentence for money laundering and corruption was overturned by the Maldives High Court, which ordered a retrial on the grounds that the 2022 hearings were "unfair".[7]
References
edit- ^ "Maldives government must act on new details in corruption scandal". Transparency International. 2019-02-18. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ Hill, Jordan (18 September 2018). "Report exposes Maldives 'orgy of corruption' ahead of election". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ a b "MMPRC scandal: list of beneficiaries grows to 267". Maldives Independent. 27 October 2019. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ Panda, Ankit (7 February 2019). "Former Maldives President Charged With Corruption, Money-Laundering". The Diplomat. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ "Maldives former president Yameen gets 11-year jail term". Reuters. 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
- ^ Shahid, Malika (28 February 2023). "Major Naveen to face prosecution in MMPRC scandal". The Edition. Retrieved 2023-05-22.
- ^ Junayd, Mohamed (18 April 2024). "Asia Pacific Maldives court overturns ex-president Yameen's jail term". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
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