1MDB was a Malaysian economic development fund from which $4.5 billion was siphoned away in a scheme between officials overseeing the fund and high-profile figures around the globe. The money was then used to purchase hotels, rare artwork, and other assets including seed capital for Las Vegas superclub Hakkasan and the 2013 film Wolf of Wall Street. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has moved to seize a record $2.1 billion in assets around the globe tied to money embezzled from 1MDB.

Investigations determined that Goldman Sachs underwrote bonds tied to the fund in at least 14 countries, collecting $600 million in fees. The DOJ found the investment bank in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which forbids companies from providing financial incentives to foreign officials who earn them more business.

A Goldman Sachs filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission argues Solomon was not “involved in or aware of the firm’s participation in illicit activity at the time the firm arranged the 1MDB bond transactions,” according to The Wall Street Journal. Other executives have been fined or, in some cases, permanently banned from working in the banking industry.

David Solomon previously made the wrong kind of headlines in July for sharing the stage with EDM duo The Chainsmokers at a Southampton concert at which attendees and staff flouted social distancing guidelines imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19. Following a New York State Department of Health investigation, Governor Andrew Cuomo said that organizers would be fined $20,000.

CNN reports that the event was advertised as complying with COVID-19 pandemic restrictions by requiring attendees to remain in their vehicles – 600 of which were allowed to enter. In video that circulated online after the weekend drew to a close, however, hundreds of revelers can be seen standing in huddles before the stage. At the time of writing, emergency restrictions in New York State forbid gatherings of more than 50.

 

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Video from what was supposed to be a drive-in concert headlined by @TheChainsmokers and @DJDSolMusic.

A post shared by Selector (@selector.news) on Jul 28, 2020 at 11:37am PDT

On Monday, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker inquired about the event in a letter to Southampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman. “I am at a loss as to how the Town of Southampton could have issued a permit for such an event, how they believed it was legal and not an obvious public health threat,” he wrote.

Governor Andrew Cuomo leveled criticism at Safe & Sound’s organizers via Twitter. “The Department of Health will conduct an investigation,” he wrote. “We have no tolerance for the illegal & reckless endangerment of public health.”

A spokesperson on behalf of David Solomon told CNN that he performed early and left before the end of the show. “The vast majority of the audience appeared to follow the rules, but he’s troubled that some violated them and put themselves and others at risk,” reads their statement.

Neither the Safe & Sound organizers nor The Chainsmokers have publicly commented responded to criticism of Saturday’s event at the time of writing.

Image credit: Dawid Labno