Singapore has handed out the longest 1MDB-related prison sentence to date.

A Singapore court handed a former BSI wealth manager a 54-month prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to a money laundering offense and deception related to his handling of allegedly misappropriated funds from a scandal-hit Malaysian fund. 

Yeo Jiawei, 34, was central to the flow of funds linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad in Singapore as a wealth manager at the local branch of Swiss bank BSI, prosecutors alleged. The bank was ordered to shut shop in Singapore last year by the city-state's regulator over breaches in anti-money laundering policies. 

In his plea, Yeo said he worked as an independent consultant for Jho Low - a Malaysian financier with Hollywood ties who global authorities believe was the kingpin in a plot that allegedly saw billions of dollars siphoned from 1MDB - after he left BSI. He added, however, that he did not consider himself part of Low's inner circle.

A lawyer representing Yeo said in court that his client was remorseful and had agreed to hand over an unspecified amount of illegal earnings. He added that Yeo would cooperate with Singapore's ongoing investigations into other individuals connected to 1MDB, including Low. Yeo, under different legal representation, has previously intended to fight all charges filed against him. 

1MDB is currently the subject of probes into alleged money laundering in at least six countries including the US, Singapore and Switzerland. 

BSI provided services to entities connected to 1MDB. The prosecution said Yeo had conspired with his former boss, Kevin Swampillai, to receive secret profits from 1MDB-linked transactions while facilitating numerous transfers made by 1MDB subsidiaries and Low. 

Yeo pleaded guilty to cheating BSI by not disclosing those profits, and to attempting to conceal and launder proceeds. 

In December last year, Yeo was handed a separate 30-month jail sentence after he was found guilty of perverting the course of justice for urging witnesses to lie to police while he was out on bail. 

Last year, Yeo's colleagues Yak Yew Chee and Yvonne Seah were both slapped with prison sentences over 1MDB-related charges.