Swiss–Spanish Anti-Money Laundering Expert | Whistleblower | International Speaker
Xavier André Justo is a dual Swiss–Spanish national and globally recognized expert in anti-money laundering (AML), governance, and financial crime prevention. With over 30 years of experience across various sectors, including banking, asset management, real estate, and oil services, he combines in-depth regulatory knowledge with strategic insights at the executive level.
He began his career in 1987 at UBS in Geneva. In 1998, he co-founded a successful asset management company operating across Geneva, Paris, and Luxembourg. After selling the business in 2009, he joined PetroSaudi in London as Director of International Business Development until 2011. He later moved to Thailand, where he launched a real estate company.
In 2015, Xavier became the central whistleblower who exposed the 1MDB scandal—one of the largest global financial crimes in modern history. His courageous decision to leak confidential documents led to the unmasking of a multibillion-dollar fraud involving government-linked companies, corrupt officials, global banks, and major law firms. His disclosures enabled U.S., Swiss, and Malaysian authorities to trace and recover over $4 billion in stolen assets.
His testimony and collaboration with international investigative bodies were instrumental in the recovery of billions by the Malaysian government, including assets such as luxury real estate, private jets, and even a superyacht. This ultimately led to the arrest and conviction of Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, who is now serving a prison sentence for abuse of power and corruption.
Additionally, senior figures behind PetroSaudi, Xavier’s former employer, were charged and sentenced in relation to their direct involvement in the 1MDB fraud. These outcomes marked a landmark victory for accountability and justice in international financial crime.
Despite facing retaliation for exposing the truth, including 18 months of unjust imprisonment in Thailand, Xavier has remained unwavering in his pursuit of transparency and justice. Since his release, he has actively supported authorities worldwide in dismantling financial crime networks and advising on complex multijurisdictional investigations.
A certified Anti-Money Laundering specialist, Xavier is a highly sought-after keynote speaker at global conferences, where he shares insights on financial integrity, compliance, whistleblower protection, and the moral dimensions of exposing corruption.
His courage has earned him international recognition, including a nomination for Whistleblower of the Year by Constantine Cannon (2020) and shortlisting for the Allard Prize for Integrity (2023 and 2024), and he is the recipient of the 2023 ACFE Sentinel Award for choosing truth before self
Today, Xavier continues his advocacy work, and he is the co-author with his wife of Rendezvous with Injustice, a book offering a gripping personal and professional account of the 1MDB case, its global consequences, and the cost of standing up for what is right.
