KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysian authorities have charged 22 individuals, including the chief executive of Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) Holdings, for organised crime following a broad investigation into the company’s alleged involvement in serious offences. The charges come amid ongoing probes into accusations of money laundering, human trafficking, and sexual abuse against children at care homes operated by the Islamic conglomerate.
GISB has been linked to the banned religious sect Al-Arqam, which was outlawed in 1994 for allegedly spreading deviant Islamic teachings. The firm has denied widespread misconduct, though its CEO Nasiruddin Mohd Ali admitted that “one or two” instances of sodomy had occurred at its shelters.
On Wednesday, Nasiruddin and other GISB members were formally charged with organised crime, an offence that carries prison sentences ranging from five to 20 years if convicted. The court documents, reviewed by Reuters, did not provide specific details of the charges.
“There will be a representation, an appeal, and a challenge of the charges,” said GISB’s lawyer, Rosli Kamaruddin, after a court hearing where the charges were issued.
Among those charged is Mohammad Adib At-Tarmimi, the son of the late Malaysian preacher Ashaari Mohamed, who founded the Al-Arqam sect. GISB has acknowledged its historical connection to Al-Arqam but describes itself today as an Islamic conglomerate built on Muslim practices.
Despite GISB’s claims, Malaysia’s Home Affairs Minister recently stated that many GISB followers continue to adhere to the outlawed teachings of Al-Arqam. Religious authorities in several Malaysian states have also issued fatwas declaring the group deviant.
The charges mark the latest development in a wide-ranging investigation launched last month, which included police rescues of hundreds of children from suspected abuse at GISB-run care homes.