Malaysia In Talks To Secure Return Of 1MDB Fugitive Jho Low

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has revealed his country is negotiating with authorities overseas to secure the return of the fugitive financier alleged to have masterminded the $4.5-billion 1MDB scandal, Al Jazeera reported.

Photo Insert: Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, faces charges in Malaysia and the United States for allegedly orchestrating the theft of $4.5 billion from the Southeast Asian country’s sovereign wealth fund.

Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, faces charges in Malaysia and the United States for allegedly orchestrating the theft of $4.5 billion from the Southeast Asian country’s sovereign wealth fund.

Billions of dollars of public funds were allegedly funneled into luxury property, fine art, Hollywood films, and bank accounts linked to former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Anwar said Low’s return was being discussed through “diplomatic channels” and involved multiple countries. Low is reportedly hiding in China.

“It involves many countries, it involves intelligence services, Interpol, et cetera,” Anwar told local media, without elaborating on the countries involved or Low’s whereabouts.

The Malaysian leader said the process was difficult but was quoted by the New Straits Times newspaper as saying other countries were “cooperating, staying in touch and providing their support.”

Last month, Bradley Hope, an investigative journalist who helped expose the 1MDB corruption scandal, wrote in a blog post that China could repatriate Low in exchange for the Anwar administration allowing more Chinese investment in Malaysia.

Several countries, including the US, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Singapore, have opened investigations into 1MDB.

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