The Straits Times reported today that Thai police spokesman Lt Gen Prawuth Thavornsiri said Justo claimed he then sold the data to the same individuals, after PetroSaudi refused to pay the 2.5 million Swiss francs he allegedly demanded in a blackmail scheme.
"Many people, about 10, from the media and from political circles, even from the same party as the (Malaysian) prime minister," Thavornsiri reportedly told the Singapore daily.
The Thai police official added that the former PetroSaudi International director is said to have met the individuals in both Singapore and Thailand, where negotiations were held to buy the alleged stolen data.
Thavornsiri added that excerpts from WhatsApp transcripts on Justo's phone show that the individuals agreed to pay for the data once they were able to verify its veracity.
"They talked to each other many times by WhatsApp, we have the evidence. They talked about paying like this and like that, to pretend to buy and sell," the Straits Times quoted him as saying.
Thavornsiri said he was also willing to share any information with Malaysian and Singapore authorities.
The implications of the data sold by Justo to these individuals were immense as it included email correspondence between PetroSaudi and 1MDB.
Such email content was made available to whistleblower website Sarawak Report, which then published allegations that 1MDB funds intended for a joint venture with PetroSaudi were siphoned to a company controlled by businessman Jho Low, who is a close friend of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's stepson.
It is not known if a Sarawak Report representative was among the individuals whom Justo had allegedly met, as Thavornsiri refused to further elaborate on the individuals named by Justo. – July 17, 2015.
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