Mohd Nazifuddin, son of Malaysian Prime Minister Mohammad Najib Abdul Razak, has denied involvement in the $1.17 billion uFun Club Ponzi scheme, despite past links to a company working with the alleged fraud. Thai news outlets Now26 and Daily Exposed recently connected Nazifuddin to the scheme, sparking public debate.

By 2013, uFun Club affiliates claimed Nazifuddin served as Executive Chairman of Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian construction firm. Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd worked closely with uFun Club during its early stages. The two companies maintained ties through the Gateway Klang development project in Kuala Lumpur. A signing ceremony gala for the Gateway Klang project recently saw Daniel Tay sign an agreement that could channel an undisclosed sum of purportedly stolen Ponzi funds into Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd. As late as August 2014, uFun Club investors still cited Nazifuddin's executive involvement with Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd.

Nazifuddin now refutes these claims, stating he resigned from Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd on May 31, 2012. "I have no involvement with the group," he declared in a statement. He also claims he warned Malaysian police, Bank Negara Malaysia, and the Thai embassy about the incident "a couple of years back." Authorities have not explained why no further action was taken when Nazifuddin reportedly first alerted them. Bank Negara Malaysia placed uFun Club on its financial alert list last year, but the scheme continued operating.

uFun Club faced shutdowns in Thailand last month and arrests in China. The operation is now believed to run from Malaysia, with its masterminds still at large. Nazifuddin's claims of resignation from Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd in 2012 lack public record. No successor has come forward to confirm his departure. A police report, presumably filed around 2013 when his name first surfaced with uFun Club through Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd, has also not been made public.

Evidence supporting Nazifuddin's claims has not materialized. He stated the company misused his name to deceive buyers into joining its scheme. Nazifuddin also denied knowing three Malaysians with active arrest warrants: Tay Kim Leng, Lee Kuan Ming, and Wong Ching Hua. "I have never met nor spoke to these individuals before," he said, adding that "several arrests have already been made and the crackdown on the alleged scheme is currently ongoing."

Addressing the Now26 report, which circulated in Malaysia via WhatsApp, Nazifuddin presented himself as a victim. He stated, "There is no concrete evidence in the video that suggests my involvement with Ufun (Group Bhd Ltd) and their schemes." He described the situation as "a libelous personal attack" and "cyberbullying," vowing not to be deterred by "malicious attempts to defame and character assassinate me."

His statement about the lack of concrete evidence raised questions. Many observers expected Nazifuddin to provide counter-evidence, such as proof of his resignation from Sagajuta (Sabah) Sdn Bhd or a copy of his reported police warning. Malaysian readers of a MalaysiaKini article covering the story expressed widespread skepticism regarding Nazifuddin's denials. They questioned why he did not pursue legal action against uFun Club for alleged misuse of his name, especially if he was aware of it for two years. Public commentary also linked the controversy to broader concerns about governance and the reputation of Malaysian leadership.

Less than an hour after initial reports of Nazifuddin's denial, a photo emerged showing him seated with Athiwat Soonpon, uFun Club International President. Thai authorities issued an arrest warrant for Soonpon last month; his current whereabouts are unknown. The undated photo also shows Warren Eu, credited as a founder of uFun Club in its promotional materials. This image directly contradicts Nazifuddin's claim of no involvement and no acquaintance with key figures in the alleged scheme.