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Jho Low

The US Department of Justice alleges US$4.5 billion was siphoned from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) state investment fund between 2009 and 2014, and Malaysian financier Jho Low has been accused of masterminding the fraud. He is wanted in several countries despite denying all wrongdoing. The Malaysian government has sought his return to Malaysia to face charges but his whereabouts are unknown, although he has been widely speculated to be in China. Funds from 1MDB were allegedly used to buy assets and real estate for Low and his associates, including a private jet, a luxury yacht, artwork by Pablo Picasso and Claude Monet, and diamond jewellery. Some of the funds were used to finance Hollywood films such as The Wolf of Wall Street.

Born

4 Nov 1981

Industry

Business, Crime

Job Title

Fugitive businessman

last updated:

7 October, 2024

Mark Rothko’s 1954 painting Untitled (Yellow and Blue) is displayed at Sotheby’s Maison in Hong Kong ahead of its auction on November 11, 2024. Photo: Sotheby’s

Art

Mark Rothko painting goes for 30% less than in 2015 in Hong Kong sale

Untitled (Yellow and Blue) by Mark Rothko, once owned by fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low, fetches US$33 million at Sotheby’s auction.

12 Nov 2024 - 10:37AM

Malaysia

Malaysian ex-PM Najib fails to end 5-year trial over 1MDB scandal

30 Oct 2024 - 4:35PMvideocam

Malaysia

Malaysians left incredulous by apology from disgraced ex-PM Najib

25 Oct 2024 - 5:25PMvideocam

Malaysia

Najib apologises, without accepting full blame, for Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal

The jailed former prime minister’s partial apology comes as the government considers sentencing reforms that may enable his early release.

24 Oct 2024 - 8:25PMvideocam

Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak speaks to supporters outside the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya, Malaysia on August 23, 2022. Photo: AP

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong to host auction of Mark Rothko piece once owned by fugitive Jho Low

Sotheby’s says sale of Untitled (Yellow and Blue) represents Asia’s first auction of late artist’s major work.

25 Sep 2024 - 10:50PM

Jho Low

Mark Rothko painting goes for 30% less than in 2015 in Hong Kong sale

Untitled (Yellow and Blue) by Mark Rothko, once owned by fugitive Malaysian financier Jho Low, fetches US$33 million at Sotheby’s auction.

Malaysian ex-PM Najib fails to end 5-year trial over 1MDB scandal

Malaysians left incredulous by apology from disgraced ex-PM Najib

Najib apologises, without accepting full blame, for Malaysia’s 1MDB scandal

The jailed former prime minister’s partial apology comes as the government considers sentencing reforms that may enable his early release.

Hong Kong to host auction of Mark Rothko piece once owned by fugitive Jho Low

Sotheby’s says sale of Untitled (Yellow and Blue) represents Asia’s first auction of late artist’s major work.

Kim Kardashian, Pharrell got US$2.4 million of 1MDB funds via Jho Low: court

A Malaysian court heard that US$2.4 million from 1MDB was transferred to Kim Kardashian and Pharrell Williams via Jho Low’s shell company.

Swiss court jails 1MDB fraudsters over US$1.8 billion theft from Malaysian fund

The court emphasised the severity of the crimes, citing the high amounts of money involved and the defendants’ selfish motives.

How Tedy Teow, the fraudster dubbed ‘Jho Low 2’, allegedly swindled millions

Teow’s MBI Group duped thousands with fake high-return investments, leading to his extradition to China on massive fraud charges.

Swiss court convicts PetroSaudi executives over US$1.8 billion 1MDB scandal

The verdict marks the latest development in the complex international corruption scandal.

US judge orders Jho Low to surrender mother’s US$1.8 million in diamonds

The 1MDB fugitive was ordered to forfeit a trio of ‘flawless’ diamonds he bought for his mother from Beyoncé and Adele’s jeweller.

Singapore refuses to give up pursuit of 1MDB fugitive mastermind Jho Low

A deal with the US Justice Department to settle civil actions against Low ‘has no bearing’ on Singapore’s investigation, police say.

Jho Low, US reach confidential deal to try to ‘forever’ resolve 1MDB-linked case

The confidential agreement, which has yet to be publicly disclosed, is tied to the announcement on Wednesday by the DOJ that it is to recover an additional US$100 million in resolving two civil forfeiture cases.

Jho Low to forfeit Warhol, Monet art in US$100 million 1MDB settlement with US

The fugitive financier will also give up a luxury Paris flat and real estate and bank accounts in Hong Kong, Singapore and Switzerland.

US returns US$156 million in looted 1MDB funds to Malaysia

The latest tranche is the fourth made by Washington, raising the total amount repatriated to the Southeast Asian nation to around US$1.4 billion.

Malaysia’s 1MDB sues PetroSaudi executive, seeking US$1.83 billion

Troubled Malaysian state fund 1MDB has sued Petrosaudi International Ltd.’s executive Patrick Mahony for US$1.83 billion over a 2009 joint venture with the oil exploration firm.

Jho Low would take 1MDB documents to Najib’s home, ex-counsel Loo tells courts

Ex-1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo told Malaysia’s High Court she would prepare documents for Jho Low, who would hand-deliver them to Najib Razak’s home in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia recoups US$5 million in 1MDB assets after ex-Goldman banker’s trial

Malaysian authorities are counting on the convicted former Goldman Sachs banker, Roger Ng’s cooperation, to recover as much as possible from the billions looted from the fund.

Malaysia’s pardons board halves ex-PM Najib Razak’s 12-year sentence

Najib was jailed in 2022 after being convicted of corruption linked to the plunder of state fund 1MDB. The decision means he could now be eligible for release as early as next year.

Anwar says Malaysia may approve Najib’s bid to ban 1MDB Netflix show

Najib’s lawyers contended that the statements by several individuals in the documentary were in contempt of court as his corruption trial was still ongoing.

Roger Ng arrives in Malaysia for 1MDB questioning after US conviction

It is unclear how long the former Goldman Sachs banker will be in the country of his birth. Ng has been sentenced to serve a 10-year term in the US for his role in the 1MDB scandal.

Malaysia 1MDB scandal: alleged Jho Low aide arrested as crackdown continues

Jasmine Loo, formerly a legal counsel to the 1MDB fund, was said to have fled Malaysia before the 2018 general election.

1MDB scandal: Jho Low ‘aide’ dies in Malaysia after suffering stroke

Kee Kok Thiam’s family said he suffered a ‘sudden massive stroke’, weeks after he was reportedly questioned by Malaysia’s corruption authorities.

1MDB fugitive Jho Low is hiding out in Macau, Malaysia says

Malaysia’s Anti Corruption Commission said in a statement that it had confirmed the fugitive Malaysian financier’s whereabouts with several eyewitnesses, including another 1MDB suspect.

Malaysia working with global agencies to speed up Jho Low extradition: minister

Malaysia’s Law Minister Azalina Othman Said confirmed the anti-corruption body has been cooperating with foreign agencies to speed up the process of bringing Low back to Malaysia.

As I see it | 1MDB scandal: is Jho Low hiding in China? It depends on whom you ask

Tom Wright, who co-wrote the book on how Jho Low masterminded the 1MDB financial scandal, believes he is hiding in China, a claim Beijing has not officially contested. China previously said it ‘does not and will never shelter foreign criminals’.

1MDB scandal: banker’s ex-wife says US$93 million belongs to her

Kimora Lee, ex-wife of former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner, claims shares she bought with money earned from her modelling career and clothing line were wrongly included as proceeds of his crimes.

Anwar says Malaysia in talks to bring back Jho Low, coy on if he’s in China

PM Anwar Ibrahim says his administration is working with ‘many countries’ to repatriate Low, who masterminded the looting of US$4.5 billion from the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund.

Fugees rapper convicted in US over lobbying campaigns with Malaysia’s Jho Low

Prosecutors accused Pras Michel of plotting with Low to attempt to influence the administrations of US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.