Kuala Lumpur, Dec 17 (IANS): Malaysian authorities on Monday filed criminal charges against Goldman Sachs bank and two former employees in connection with the 1MDB state investment fund scandal.

Malaysia filed the charges against Goldman Sachs and its former bankers Tim Leissner and Roger Ng, reports the BBC.

Leissner served as Goldman's South East Asia chairman, and left the bank in 2016. Mr Ng was a managing director at Goldman until his departure in May 2014.

Malaysia has also brought charges against former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) employee Jasmine Loo and financier Jho Low.

Malaysia's attorney general Tommy Thomas said in a statement: "The charges arise from the proceeds of three bonds issued by the subsidiaries of 1MDB, which were arranged and underwritten by Goldman Sachs."

The US bank has been under scrutiny for its role in helping to raise funds for the 1MDB.

It is being investigated in at least six countries.

Goldman Sachs called the charges "misdirected" and said it continued to co-operate with all authorities.

The scandal has prompted investigations around the world and played a role in the election defeat earlier this year of Malaysia's former prime minister, Najib Razak, who is accused of pocketing $700 million from the fund he set up.