Embezzlement and bribery with government money are among the charges that Malaysia is looking to bring against former leader Najib Razak following a probe into funds allegedly looted from the state-run fund 1MDB, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said.

Mahathir said in a Tuesday interview that Malaysian investigators already ¡°have an almost perfect case¡± against the principal suspects who had defrauded 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and misappropriated billions of dollars in public funds.

He also described Najib, who founded 1MDB in 2009, as playing a central role.