Jho Low

Low Taek Jho
Low Taek Jho
Born	November 4, 1981 (age 45); George Town, Penang Island, Malaysia
Occupation	Entrepreneur
Known for	Involvement in 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal

Low Taek Jho (born 4 November 1981), widely recognized as Jho Low, is a Malaysian entrepreneur and fugitive who has been sought by Interpol since 2016 due to his pivotal involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal. He faces accusations of diverting more than US$4.5 billion from the government-owned 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Low is the named beneficiary of multiple discretionary trust assets, which are reportedly financed through payments linked to 1MDB. He refutes any allegations of misconduct, asserting that Malaysian officials have launched a politically driven campaign against him because of his former alliance with ex-prime minister Najib Razak, who has been found guilty on several charges connected to the scandal.

Initially holding Malaysian citizenship, Low obtained citizenship from Saint Kitts and Nevis in 2011, which was later revoked in 2019, and also possessed Cypriot citizenship from 2015 until its cancellation in 2024.

Early life and education

Born into an affluent Malaysian Chinese family of Teochew heritage in George Town, Penang Island, Low's lineage includes his grandfather, Tan Sri Dato’ Low Meng Tak, a businessman with ventures spanning iron-ore mining, liquor distilleries, and property across Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. His father, Tan Sri Larry Low Hock Peng, established the investment holding firm MWE Holdings.

As the youngest among three siblings, Low attended Chung Ling High School and The International School of Penang (Uplands), before progressing to the esteemed Harrow School in London. During this time, he forged connections with influential figures such as Middle Eastern royalty and Malaysians including Riza Aziz, stepson of former Prime Minister Najib Razak. Subsequently, Low pursued higher education at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, where he expanded his business network encompassing Malaysian and Middle Eastern contacts and began overseeing funds for acquaintances and relatives. He completed his studies at Wharton in 2005.

Low is proficient in several languages including Malay, English, Cantonese, Hokkien, and Teochew.

Career

Low’s initial significant transaction was facilitating Kuwait Finance House’s acquisition in 2006 of a luxury high-rise apartment complex in Kuala Lumpur valued at US$87 million. By 2007, he had assembled an investment consortium featuring a Malaysian royal family member, a Kuwaiti sheikh, and a UAE partner who later emerged as a distinguished ambassador. By 2010, Low had consolidated his wealth under Jynwel Capital, where he assumed the role of principal steward.

At the helm of Jynwel Capital, Low cultivated partnerships with prominent sovereign wealth funds such as Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company and the Kuwait Investment Authority. Jynwel took part in notable transactions including the 2013 purchase of New York’s Park Lane Hotel for US$660 million alongside The Witkoff Group and Mubadala; the 2014 acquisition of Coastal Energy for US$2.2 billion; and the 2012 acquisition of EMI’s music publishing division for US$2.2 billion in collaboration with Blackstone Group, Sony Corporation, and Mubadala. Additionally, Low spearheaded Jynwel’s unsuccessful bid worth US$2.2 billion to buy Reebok from Adidas AG in 2014.

Low played a key role in founding Red Granite Pictures, a Hollywood production company responsible for films such as The Wolf of Wall Street and Dumb and Dumber To. The film rights became targets of recovery efforts by US authorities during 2013 and 2016; these matters were resolved through settlements in 2018 without any admission of fault by Red Granite.

In 2019, US officials characterized Low as a financial intermediary who exploited his network among wealthy individuals and global institutions to launder funds misappropriated through manipulation of 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

Earlier in his professional journey, Low often claimed to act on behalf of others to keep his family’s wealth discreet. However, by 2015 he acknowledged that his family possessed substantial independent resources. While some accounts depicted his family as moderately wealthy, others referred to him as a "scion" within the international mergers and acquisitions sector.

1Malaysia Development Berhad controversy

Najib Razak assumed the role of Malaysia's Prime Minister in 2009 and also became the chairman of the advisory board for 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a sovereign wealth fund of Malaysia. Although Low did not hold any formal title, he acknowledged providing occasional advice to 1MDB and conducting transactions that connected his business interests with 1MDB, which he asserted were conducted at arm’s length and complied with legal standards.

According to The Wall Street Journal, a $33.5 million condominium in Manhattan was owned by a shell corporation controlled by Low’s family trust before ownership was transferred to Najib’s stepson. Likewise, a Beverly Hills property known as the pyramid house was held by a shell company under Low’s trust and subsequently transferred to Najib’s stepson.

In October 2016, Interpol issued a red notice at Singapore's behest to locate and apprehend Low in connection with the flow of 1MDB funds. Earlier, in April 2016, Singapore requested Hong Kong to provisionally detain Low, but Hong Kong authorities refused to comply.

After the 2018 Malaysian general election, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad revived investigations into 1MDB. Despite earlier exonerations of Low, arrest warrants were issued against him. Low characterized these actions as political retaliation by the new government. Malaysian authorities regard him as a fugitive; however, he has expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigation.

Reports reveal that Low continued managing his Hong Kong-based companies, signing documents for Jynwel Capital, a private equity firm, and the Jynwel Charitable Foundation as recently as July 2018 amid ongoing attempts to arrest him. Alleged discussions regarding a potential settlement with the Malaysian government failed to come to fruition.

Low is said to have bought a white Ferrari valued at US$325,000 as a wedding present for Kim Kardashian in 2011. The United States Department of Justice sought recovery of gifts distributed by Low to celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio—who returned valuable artworks—and Miranda Kerr, who surrendered diamond jewelry appraised at US$8 million.

He invested $100 million in producing The Wolf of Wall Street, a film that earned several Oscar nominations; Leonardo DiCaprio publicly acknowledged Low during an awards event. Red Granite, a production company supported by Low, organized extravagant events such as a Cannes party featuring Kanye West.

In June 2017, the US government initiated asset forfeiture proceedings connected to funds from 1MDB. On November 1, 2018, Low and two former Goldman Sachs bankers were indicted by the US Department of Justice on charges related to 1MDB.

On October 31, 2019, Low reached a global agreement with US authorities resolving civil, criminal, and administrative claims linked to asset forfeiture involving him. This settlement did not address ongoing allegations of money laundering and bribery.

In 2019, Low was implicated in the Burning Sun scandal due to his association with Korean artist Psy; both parties denied involvement and the case was closed owing to insufficient evidence.

On June 11, 2021, the US Department of Justice charged Low with conspiracy related to undisclosed lobbying efforts aimed at halting the 1MDB investigation and facilitating the removal of a Chinese dissident from the United States. The charges included conspiracy to commit money laundering connected to these foreign influence campaigns.

Life as a fugitive

Low is thought to be residing in China, moving discreetly between major urban centers. In November 2020, Al Jazeera reported his presence in Macau, living in a property linked to a high-ranking Chinese Communist Party official. Although Malaysian authorities have issued an Interpol red notice against him, Low continues to travel without restriction. The Chinese government denies providing him refuge, despite reports of his appearance at Shanghai Disneyland on Christmas Eve 2019.

In May 2023, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim declared a multinational effort aimed at accelerating Low’s extradition process. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) confirmed that Low remained concealed in Macau. By November 2024, legal representatives for Najib Razak suggested Low might be sheltered in Myanmar under the protection of the military junta.

As of 2025, investigative journalism outlet Brazen revealed that Low is purportedly living in Shanghai, using a counterfeit Australian passport under the alias "Veis Constantinos Achilles."

Civil asset forfeiture

In June 2024, Low consented to surrender assets exceeding $100 million to resolve two civil lawsuits brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. These assets included a luxury apartment in Paris and artworks by Claude Monet and Andy Warhol. This settlement followed previous forfeitures involving a $120 million yacht and an additional $1 billion seized from Low and his family. Separate criminal charges related to money laundering and bribery remain active against Low. Malaysian officials persist in their search efforts.

Campaign financing in Malaysia

Connected closely with the Najib Razak family, Low financed the Prime Minister’s 2013 electoral bid using funds originating from 1MDB. He arranged a complimentary pro-government concert in Penang featuring American performers Busta Rhymes and Ludacris, which the opposition criticized as improper electioneering despite its presentation as a charitable event.

Lobbying efforts in the United States

A 2019 indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice accuses Low of conspiring to influence Barack Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign by channeling $21.6 million from foreign sources through former Fugees member Pras into Obama’s Super PAC without proper disclosure. Additionally, Low recruited ex-Justice Department staffer Higginbotham, who admitted guilt in 2018, to create bank accounts intended for lobbying activities aimed at obstructing U.S. investigations into the 1MDB scandal. Low denies having made any direct or indirect contributions to U.S. political campaigns.

The FBI probed whether a $100,000 donation made to the Trump Victory Committee in 2017 was linked to Low. Media reports also indicate that $75 million was offered to Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy and his spouse as an inducement to halt the Justice Department’s inquiry into 1MDB.

In June 2021, federal charges were filed against Low for orchestrating a covert operation designed to influence the Trump administration to terminate its investigation into him and the 1MDB fund.

Charitable contributions

Low has provided donations to several charitable organizations; however, much of this philanthropy occurred after the exposure of the 1MDB scandal. Critics contend these donations were sourced from misappropriated 1MDB funds and served primarily as a strategy to rehabilitate Low’s public image.

Citizenship

Originally a Malaysian national, Low is reported to possess several passports acquired through economic citizenship initiatives, including those from countries in the Caribbean and Mediterranean regions. These documents are believed to have facilitated his avoidance of arrest. Since Malaysia prohibits dual nationality, authorities canceled Low's Malaysian passport in June 2018 due to his possession of multiple passports, an act considered illegal under Malaysian legislation.

In 2019, it emerged that Low had obtained a Cypriot passport through an investment program soon after buying real estate in Cyprus. This acquisition occurred prior to the formal charges filed against him in connection with the 1MDB probe. The revelation of his Cypriot citizenship came as part of the Cyprus Papers leak, which unveiled contentious citizenship grants by the government under President Nicos Anastasiades to wealthy foreign individuals.

Personal life

Jho Low traces his lineage directly back to Liu Bei, the ruler of Shu during China's Three Kingdoms era. In early 2014, he initiated a widely publicized relationship with Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr. By June 2017, Kerr had surrendered jewelry valued at $8 million to U.S. authorities amid an ongoing investigation linked to Low; these pieces were gifts from him during their association. Low's social circle encompassed prominent personalities such as Paris Hilton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kimora Lee Simmons, Jamie Foxx, Busta Rhymes, Kasseem Dean (Swizz Beatz), Emily Ratajkowski, and Alicia Keys.

References