Who is Jho Low? Leonardo DiCaprio-Kim Kardashian's alleged fugitive 'friend'
What's the story
Hollywood celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio and Kim Kardashian were questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation over their association and ties with wanted Malaysian fugitive Jho Low. The 41-year-old is the "mastermind of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad Scandal (1MDB), a money-laundering scheme that led to over $4.5B being siphoned from the Malaysian state investment fund." It's one of the largest corruption scandals in the world.
Association with DiCaprio
DiCaprio had met Low at a nightclub in 2010
The Titanic star met Low at a nightclub in 2010 and they subsequently became close associates, per Bloomberg. "I was working for him...and that business also translates into being social. And so we saw each other more, and there was more interaction," per the Oscar-winning actor. The duo discussed plans for "a $1B mega-bund for filmmaking, a Warner Bros. theme park," among other projects.
Luxury gifts
The fugitive showered the celebrities with luxurious gifts
Per The Guardian, "Low financed The Wolf of Wall Street and showered DiCaprio with luxury gifts such as Marlon Brando's $6,00,000 Oscar statue and a $9M Jean-Michel Basquiat painting." The actor later returned those gifts. Separately, Kardashian told authorities "that she once stayed up till 5:00am in a Las Vegas casino with Low, where he refused her attempts to return $3,50,000 worth of winnings."
Allegations
Low's scam is apparently spread through several countries
It's suspected that Low's fraud scheme "encompasses a sophisticated network of overseas shell firms, A-list celebrities, the Middle East, and Wall Street," and the embezzled money was utilized to "acquire worldwide real estate, super-yachts, and finance Hollywood blockbusters." ABC said about him, "Low, with high-powered investment banking companies, siphoned billions of dollars from an investment fund right under the nose of industry watchdogs."
Stolen funds
Low stole away the funds meant for Malaysian citizens
Per Sportskeeda, "Low pocketed $1.42B from three bond deals that Goldman Sachs facilitated for the Malaysian wealth fund. 1MDB was reportedly established to seek investment and development initiatives for Malaysia and its citizens' financial well-being, but was used for the personal gains of individuals like Low." Per media reports, he also has close ties with government figures in Abu Dhabi and Malaysia.
Investigation
Low hasn't been found yet, the search is still on
It is not only the Government of Malaysia that is looking for the infamous fugitive. Authorities from Europe, America, and Asia are working together to nab the fraudster and grill him over the high-profile fraud. In 2020, it was reported that he was living in Macau, though the Chinese government had denied sheltering him. There is currently an Interpol red alert on him, too.