Latest news with #1MDB
Japan Times
43 minutes ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Malaysia looks into claim 1MDB fugitive Jho Low is in China
Malaysia will look into a report that fugitive Low Taek Jho, wanted in connection with the multibillion-dollar collapse of state fund 1MDB, is living in China. The country has not received information on the whereabouts of Low, better known as Jho Low, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Saturday, state news agency Bernama reported. Anwar said he would need to check with the home ministry, which didn't respond to calls early Monday. Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, whose book "Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World" chronicled Low's role in the rise and fall of 1MDB, said in a recent YouTube video that he has been residing in Green Hills, an upscale neighborhood in Shanghai. The two former Wall Street Journal reporters said Low was using a forged Australian passport under the name Constantinos Achilles Veis. A spokesperson from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said its passport office specialist investigators and intelligence offices assess every allegation of fraudulent use of the nation's passports. The use of a false Australian passport can lead to a maximum 10 years' imprisonment or a fine, or both, it added. In the wake of the two reporters' claims, Puad Zarkashi, a senior member of the ruling coalition's United Malays National Organisation, called on authorities to bring back the fugitive financier, Malaysiakini reported. Malaysia has been working for years to repatriate Low, who was first charged in absentia in 2018 by a local court with eight counts of money laundering. He was previously reported as having been in hiding in the Chinese special administrative region of Macau, and has publicly said he is innocent. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also accused Low of stealing $1.42 billion from three bond transactions that Goldman Sachs Group arranged for the Malaysian wealth fund formally known as 1Malaysia Development Bhd. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is in prison in connection with 1MDB, while ex-Goldman banker Tim Leissner was also sentenced to prison for his role. Some $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB. Low, who previously said he did consulting work for the fund, has been portrayed by some global investigators as the mastermind behind the scheme.
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Jho Low using fake passport? Our investigators probe every claim, Australian authorities say
CANBERRA, July 22 — Australian authorities have reportedly said its investigators assess each allegation of the use of its fake passports, following revelations that fugitive broker Low Taek Jho is using one. Its Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, however, did not elaborate on such an investigation on the man known as Jho Low, or whether it is currently investigating the matter. 'The Australian Passport Office specialist investigators and intelligence officers assess every allegation of fraudulent use of Australian passports,' a spokesman was quoted saying by Sydney-based public broadcaster ABC. 'The use of a false Australian passport is an offence under Australian passport legislation, which can attract a maximum of 10 years' imprisonment and/or a AU$330,000 (RM912,000) fine.' 'Due to privacy obligations, the department cannot comment on individual cases,' it added. Last week, it was reported that Low, has supposedly been located in a luxury neighbourhood in Shanghai, China, where he is said to be living under a false identity and working with entities linked to the Chinese government. Low is allegedly now residing in Green Hills, an exclusive enclave in Shanghai — by taking a Greek alias of Constantinos Achilles Veis using a fake Australian passport. Penang-born Low is accused of masterminding the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal and has been on the run since 2015, with his exact whereabouts remaining unconfirmed to date.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Malaysia Looks Into Claim 1MDB Fugitive Jho Low Is in China
Malaysia will look into a report that fugitive Low Taek Jho, wanted in connection with the multibillion dollar collapse of state fund 1MDB, is living in China. The country has not received information on the whereabouts of Low, better known as Jho Low, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Saturday, state news agency Bernama reported. Anwar said he would need to check with the home ministry, which didn't respond to calls early Monday. Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, whose book Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World chronicled Low's role in the rise and fall of 1MDB, said in a recent YouTube video that he has been residing in Green Hills, an upscale neighborhood in Shanghai. The two former Wall Street Journal reporters said Low was using a forged Australian passport under the name Constantinos Achilles Veis. A spokesperson from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said its passport office specialist investigators and intelligence offices assess every allegation of fraudulent use of the nation's passports. The use of a false Australian passport can lead to a maximum 10 years' imprisonment or a fine, or both, it added. In the wake of the two reporters' claims, Puad Zarkashi, a senior member of the ruling coalition's United Malays National Organisation, called on authorities to bring back the fugitive financier, Malaysiakini reported. Malaysia has been working for years to repatriate Low, who was first charged in absentia in 2018 by a local court with eight counts of money laundering. He was previously reported as having been in hiding in the Chinese special administrative region of Macau, and has publicly said he is innocent. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has also accused Low of stealing $1.42 billion from three bond transactions that Goldman Sachs Group Inc. arranged for the Malaysian wealth fund, formally known as 1Malaysia Development Bhd. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is in prison in connection with 1MDB, while ex-Goldman banker Tim Leissner was also sentenced to prison for his role. Some $4.5 billion was misappropriated from 1MDB. Low, who previously said he did consulting work for the fund, has been portrayed by some global investigators as the mastermind behind the scheme. With assistance from Ainslie Chandler. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
New Straits Times
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Jho Low reportedly living in luxury in China under unofficial protection
KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, is reportedly living in luxury in China under unofficial protection, according to fresh claims by investigative journalists Bradley Hope and Tom Wright. Speaking in their podcast, Finding Jho Low, which aired on Friday, the authors of Billion Dollar Whale revealed that Low is allegedly residing in Shanghai's upscale Green Hills neighbourhood and operating under a forged Australian passport using the alias "Constantinos Achilles Veis." They claimed that former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had allegedly advised Low to flee the country as scrutiny of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal intensified, prompting him to escape to China where he had familial ties in the Chiuchow region. "Despite being a fugitive, he is living comfortably, driving luxury cars and accompanied by Chinese security guards. It appears he is not under house arrest but enjoying an unrestricted life," Hope said in the podcast. Hope and Wright, who spent years tracking Low's global movements, also alleged that Malaysia lost as much as US$6 billion (RM28 billion) in Belt and Road Initiative-linked projects that were engineered with Low's involvement, mirroring the pattern of financial manipulation seen in the 1MDB scandal. Among the most revealing claims was that Low had allegedly cultivated ties with high-ranking Chinese political figures and intelligence officers, positioning himself as a "shadow broker" who influenced Malaysia's foreign policy tilt towards Beijing. The podcast also highlighted how Low allegedly played a role in corrupt infrastructure deals such as the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, which involved bribes to Chinese officials, including former deputy public security minister Sun Lijun, who was later jailed for corruption. A turning point in the investigation came in 2019 when a photo of Low at Shanghai Disneyland surfaced. Analysts said the image helped identify his close-knit circle and added weight to claims that he is under unofficial protection by Chinese authorities. Hope and Wright suggested that Low has rebranded himself in China as a "dark arts coordinator," helping Chinese companies navigate complex regulatory environments, especially when dealing with the United States. "He is not just hiding. He is actively helping Chinese entities operate in hostile geopolitical terrain. That makes him valuable," Wright said. The journalists also claimed that Low had maintained an office at the Shanghai World Financial Centre, further suggesting he was actively engaged in financial or strategic work, rather than merely evading law enforcement. Much of the information shared in the podcast came from undisclosed documents and confidential sources, which the journalists said they could not reveal due to safety concerns. These revelations challenge earlier assumptions that Low was under house arrest or moving covertly from one location to another. Instead, they paint a picture of a man who remains influential and protected within a powerful foreign system. Law enforcement agencies, including those in Malaysia and the United States, may now have to recalibrate their approach in seeking Low's return as calls grow louder for accountability in the multibillion-dollar corruption scandal.
Business Times
18 hours ago
- Business
- Business Times
Bugatti, bodyguards and a Greek alias: Journalists claim Malaysian fugitive Jho Low is living large in Shanghai
[KUALA LUMPUR] In what could be the strongest lead yet in the hunt for fugitive Jho Low, journalist and Billion Dollar Whale co-author Tom Wright said he has passed fresh intelligence to the Malaysian authorities, alleging that the mastermind behind one of the world's biggest money laundering scandals could now be holed up in a gated enclave of Tudor-style villas in Shanghai, living under a Greek alias and travelling on a forged Australian passport. Wright told The Business Times he recently messaged the Malaysian authorities, including Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, via X (formerly Twitter), to share the newly uncovered details on the whereabouts of Low, one of the world's most wanted men accused of embezzling billions of dollars from Malaysia's state-owned fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). 'We haven't really located him yet. But the search is very much alive,' Wright said in a phone interview with BT on Monday (Jul 21). 'But we hope to continue to receive more information. All the information we receive is verified to high journalistic standards.' In a livestream by Project Brazen titled 'Finding Jho Low' released on Jul 18, Wright and co-author Bradley Hope reveal they have received tips and documents suggesting that the Penang-born Low, whose full name is Low Taek Jho, is living in Green Hills in Shanghai. The upscale enclave, often associated with corporate elites, is just a 15-minute drive from the Shanghai World Financial Centre, where, the duo say, Low maintains an office. 'What we have learned from a variety of sources, he is actually back in business in a big way,' said Wright in the programme. Low is also said to own a fleet of luxury cars, including a Bugatti, and is routinely accompanied by at least two security personnel, whom they believe to be government employees. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 8.30 am Asean Business Business insights centering on South-east Asia's fast-growing economies. Sign Up Sign Up They also claim to have uncovered that Low is allegedly operating under the alias 'Constantinos Achilles Veis' and using a forged Australian passport to mask his identity. Jho Low is wanted in both Malaysia and the US for allegedly embezzling some US$4.5 billion from the fund. The pair hope that their findings will reignite global interest in Low's case. They have turned to unconventional methods, including launching a YouTube channel, a satirical website and even a meme coin to incentivise whistle-blowers. Their cryptocurrency, $JHOLOW, serves as a reward mechanism for individuals who provide verifiable information about Low's whereabouts or evidence related to the 1MDB scandal. Wright said: 'We're using meme coins as an incentive to encourage people to share more information, helping us uncover the truth. We see this as a tool for investigative journalism, and it's effective. We have received a significant amount of information, which is helping us corroborate and verify leads.' Tips submitted through the pair's YouTube channel have included what appears to be a recent passport photo of Low under the alias, and claims that he has opened an office in Shanghai. Wright said they are now verifying each lead. Low is wanted in both Malaysia and the US for allegedly embezzling some US$4.5 billion from 1MDB; an Interpol Red Notice has been in effect since 2018. Despite repeated efforts by Malaysian enforcement agencies to track him down, his whereabouts have remained unknown. Since taking office, Anwar has said that locating Low is a priority. As recently as in 2024, then-Inspector General of Police Razarudin Husain said there were still no concrete leads. On Jul 19, Anwar told reporters that Malaysia had not received any information regarding the claims of Low's presence in China. 'I have no information; we have yet to receive anything. I have read (the media reports), let me check. I need to verify with the Home Minister,' he was quoted by Bernama as having said. Wright and Hope, both former Wall Street Journal reporters, played key roles in helping to shed light on the 1MDB scandal. The mammoth fraud ultimately contributed to the downfall of Malaysia's long-ruling Barisan Nasional government and former prime minister Najib Razak. After the 2018 publication of Billion Dollar Whale, their book that exposed one of history's most notorious fraud cases, Wright and Hope co-founded Project Brazen in 2021. This platform focuses on producing investigative content with a global scope, rather than limiting it to a single country. They also aim to monetise their investigative work by adapting their findings into documentaries, television shows, and films. Najib's 1MDB trial nears end, Jho Low still elusive Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is currently standing trial for 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power involving RM2.3 billion from 1MDB. Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak established 1MDB in 2009, but was later accused of channelling over RM2.6 billion from the fund into his personal accounts while overseeing 1MDB as head of its advisory board. Najib lost office in 2018 amid the scandal, and was convicted in 2020 for misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International, a 1MDB subsidiary, leading to a six-year prison sentence after a royal pardon. He is now standing trial for 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power involving RM2.3 billion from 1MDB, with closing arguments set for end-October. Jho Low is considered a crucial witness in the 1MDB trial because of his alleged central role in orchestrating fund flows and operations. Key witnesses and investigators have testified that 1MDB officials often treated his instructions as coming directly from Najib. They have also said his actions are closely linked to the billions misappropriated from the fund. His testimony is therefore critical in terms of offering crucial insights into Najib's alleged involvement and the broader mechanics of the 1MDB scandal.
