KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is finalising its investigation into CSA Academy, a financial consultancy firm accused of defrauding over 4,000 civil servants through a massive debt-clearing fraudulent scheme.
Dubbed “Ops Sky,” the probe has uncovered corruption and money laundering involving officials from multiple financial institutions, alongside high-profile celebrities and public servants who promoted the scheme.
Authorities revealed that victims, including government employees and private-sector workers, were misled by false promises of financial relief, investment opportunities, and job placements. Investigators have confirmed that singer Ziana Zain, veteran actor Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan, and Malaysia’s first astronaut, Datuk Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, received payments ranging from RM150,000 to RM400,000 over one to two years for endorsing CSA Academy. The firm also reportedly funded concerts and commissioned custom-written songs as part of its promotional strategy.
On February 6, all three celebrities were summoned to MACC headquarters in Putrajaya to provide statements. MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki emphasised that while they were not considered suspects, their testimonies were crucial to understanding why the firm engaged celebrities to market its financial packages, particularly to government employees.
Ziana Zain later addressed the allegations, dismissing claims that she had received RM400,000 in full and stating that payments were typically divided among multiple ambassadors. She clarified that her involvement was limited to serving as a brand ambassador and performing at events, adding that the questioning session lasted around three hours and focused on her interactions with the company.
CSA Academy allegedly operated by luring victims through financial literacy seminars, where celebrity endorsements lent credibility to its debt-clearing programs. Victims were convinced to pay substantial upfront fees for financial restructuring services, believing their debts would be cleared within a short period. Investigators suspect the company functioned similarly to a Ponzi scheme, using funds from new members to cover payouts for earlier clients, creating an unsustainable financial cycle.
Since the launch of Ops Sky, MACC has intensified efforts to dismantle CSA Academy’s operations. Authorities have frozen 98 bank accounts linked to the firm and related companies, amounting to RM22.07 million in seized assets. A total of 21 individuals, including eight company directors and 12 bank officers, have been arrested for their suspected roles in facilitating fraudulent transactions. Investigators have also seized over 4,000 documents as part of a broader financial probe.
The investigation is now in its final stages, with findings expected to be submitted to the Deputy Public Prosecutor within a month. Additional witness statements will be recorded over the next two weeks, including testimonies from bank officers, CSA Academy employees, and affected borrowers. Meanwhile, this case highlights a larger financial fraud crisis in Malaysia, with Melaka alone recording 1,845 online swindle cases in 2024, resulting in financial losses exceeding RM75.9 million. As authorities work to conclude the probe, further legal action and arrests may follow.
