Former Goldman Sachs Banker Headed to Prison For 10 Years U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie called it a crime "of pure greed."

By Gabrielle Bienasz

Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.

Bloomberg / Contributor I Getty Images
Roger Ng, formerly of Goldman Sachs, in 2023.

Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday, according to CNN.

"There is a critical need to deter crimes of pure greed like this one," U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie said.

Ng was found guilty in April 2022 of three counts including conspiring to launder money. He faced trial over the "1MDB scandal," which stole billions from Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund.

As Margo put it in the trial, Ng "effectively stole money" from things like support for infrastructure for people who live in Malaysia. At one point, this scandal was under investigation in five countries and even impacted international diplomacy, per the Wall Street Journal.

"Between 2012 and 2013, the defendant, Roger Ng, received more than $35 million in kickbacks for his role in the scheme to steal and launder billions of dollars from 1MDB, including funds 1MDB raised in 2012 and 2013 through three bond transactions and to use that money for bribes," the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of New York said in April.

Ng collaborated with people including Tim Leissner, who pleaded guilty as well as testified against Ng, and former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak, who is serving 12 years in prison.

Gabrielle Bienasz is a staff writer at BIZ Experiences. She previously worked at Insider and Inc. Magazine. 

Want to be an BIZ Experiences Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Starting a Business

These Brothers Started a Business to Improve an Everyday Task. They Made Their First Products in the Garage — Now They've Raised Over $100 Million.

Coulter and Trent Lewis had an early research breakthrough that helped them solve for the right problem.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for BIZ Experiencess to pursue in 2025.

Franchise

How to Prepare Your Business — And Yourself — For a Smooth Exit

After decades of building your business, turning it over to someone else can be emotional. But with the right mindset and a strong plan, it can also be your proudest moment.

Franchise

10 No-Office-Required Businesses You Can Start for as Little as $5,000

With strong Franchise 500 rankings and investment levels starting under $5,000, these brands are ready for new owners to hit the ground running.

Business News

Here Are the 10 Jobs AI Is Most Likely to Automate, According to a Microsoft Study

These careers are most likely to be affected by generative AI, based on data from 200,000 conversations with Microsoft's Copilot chatbot.