1MDB: Warrants of arrest for Jho Low and 4 others

Move will enable Malaysia to seek Interpol's help in locating and extraditing them

The whereabouts of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho (above) and the four other men are unknown. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Malaysia yesterday issued warrants of arrest for fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho and four others in connection with the 1MDB scandal, in a move to enable the country to seek Interpol's help in issuing a red notice to locate, provisionally arrest and extradite them.

The warrants were issued by Kuala Lumpur's magistrate court to facilitate the probe into the huge financial scandal linked to troubled state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The whereabouts of Low, who is widely called Jho Low, and the four other men are unknown.

Five money-laundering charges were levelled yesterday against Low, totalling US$1.03 billion (S$1.4 billion), according to Malaysian media reports.

Low's aide Eric Tan Kim Loong, former 1MDB general counsel Loo Ai Swan, former 1MDB executive director Tang Keng Chee and former 1MDB official Geh Choh Heng were also charged in absentia with money laundering and criminal breach of trust.

In a separate joint charge with Tan, Low also faces an accusation of money laundering amounting to US$125.97 million.

  • WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN

  • Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho

    Five money-laundering charges.

    Four others

    • Low's aide Eric Tan Kim Loong

    • Former 1MDB general counsel Loo Ai Swan

    • Former 1MDB executive director Tang Keng Chee

    • Former 1MDB official Geh Choh Heng

    Money-laundering and criminal breach of trust charges.

Loo faces a money-laundering charge amounting to US$5.99 million, while Tang's criminal breach of trust and money-laundering charge involves US$2.41 million. Meanwhile, Geh was charged with money laundering totalling US$125 million.

Low, an associate of former prime minister Najib Razak and his family, has denied any wrongdoing relating to the corruption scandal at 1MDB, saying he was an informal consultant at the fund.

The US Department of Justice has, in its civil suits to seize luxury assets bought with stolen 1MDB funds, alleged that Low was the mastermind behind the misappropriation of over US$4.5 billion from 1MDB between 2009 and 2014, with help from top Malaysian officials.

The issuing of the warrants of arrest is seen as another step taken by the new Pakatan Harapan government to speedily go after those it believes were involved in the scandal, in contrast to foot-dragging by the former Najib government.

On Aug 24, Malaysian police had filed criminal charges against Low and his father for money allegedly stolen from 1MDB.

Low's father, Larry Low Hock Peng, faces one charge of transferring US$56 million to his son.

Najib has been charged with money laundering, criminal breach of trust and abusing his position over claims that he pocketed money from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB. He faces a total of 38 graft-related charges.

The Mahathir administration has seized and put up for auction the US$250 million Equanimity superyacht that was allegedly bought by Low using funds from 1MDB.

Malaysia's leader-in-waiting Anwar Ibrahim said two weeks ago that Kuala Lumpur is seeking direct talks with Goldman Sachs to recoup more than US$600 million that the bank earned from raising funds for 1MDB.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 05, 2018, with the headline 1MDB: Warrants of arrest for Jho Low and 4 others. Subscribe