The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has requested charges against Bassam Adeel Jaleel—the former President of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) currently in jail for embezzlement and money laundering—in connection with the MMPRC corruption scandal.
In a statement confirming that the case has been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s (PG) Office, the ACC revealed that its investigation proved USD 29,000 of the embezzled funds from the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) had been deposited into Bassam’s personal bank account.
According to the ACC, the funds transferred to Bassam originated from acquisition costs owed to MMPRC, which were diverted into the accounts of SOF Private Limited. SOF was the primary company used to funnel and distribute the stolen state funds during the scandal.
The commission stated that the transfer from SOF was facilitated through then-Vice President Ahmed Adeeb, the central figure in the corruption scheme. The ACC further noted that Bassam utilized these funds for his personal expenses.
During Adeeb’s tenure in government, Bassam was known to be one of his closest associates.
In addition to the money laundering charges, the ACC’s statement highlighted Bassam’s active involvement in the execution of the corruption scheme. The commission noted that Bassam had signed as a witness on several agreements related to the islands and lagoons leased through the MMPRC scandal.
Despite years passing since the MMPRC scandal came to light, many individuals, companies, and banks identified in ACC reports as participants have yet to face prosecution. To date, the state has also failed to recover any of the funds stolen in the embezzlement scheme.
