Timothy Leissner, a former leader of Goldman Sachs’ operations in Southeast Asia, began testifying Wednesday in the jury trial of his former employee Roger Ng, explaining how he and Ng hid illegal behavior from Goldman Sachs as they conspired to launder money and violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in a massive scheme centered on a Malaysian economic development fund.

Leissner pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiring to launder money and conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and is testifying as part of his cooperation agreement with prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng Former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng leaves the Brooklyn federal court Feb. 16, 2022. Photo: Ryland West/ALM