Jho Low, the Malaysian financier at the heart of one of the world's largest financial frauds, has filed a pardon request with the incoming Trump administration in hopes of erasing his US criminal charges, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Low stands accused of orchestrating the theft of at least $4.5 billion from Malaysia's 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a sovereign wealth fund that collapsed after the scheme unraveled in 2015. He faces charges in both the US and Malaysia for corruption and money laundering stemming from his central role in the massive embezzlement.
The pardon request was filed earlier this year and appears on the Justice Department's website under Low's formal name, Taek Jho Low. A White House official told the Journal the request had not come to their attention, though the filing itself appears to be a matter of record.
Malaysian officials are pushing back hard. Johari Abdul Ghani, who chairs a government task force dedicated to recovering 1MDB assets globally, said the pardon should be rejected. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm against the pardon," said Johari, who also serves as Malaysia's trade minister. He called on the US instead to help locate Low for additional investigations.
Low's whereabouts remain unknown, though authorities have previously suggested he may be in China. Beijing has denied harboring him.
The case has already yielded some recovery. In 2019, the US secured a $1 billion settlement from Low, who agreed to forfeit a private jet and luxury real estate holdings in Beverly Hills, New York, and London. Malaysia had briefly lifted an Interpol red notice against Low to facilitate asset negotiations, according to the Journal, though Johari said he was unaware of any formal talks about his return or asset restoration.
Throughout the scandal, Low has consistently maintained his innocence despite mounting evidence and testimony linking him to the embezzlement scheme.
Author James Rodriguez: "A pardon would be a stunning reversal for Trump's supposed anti-corruption stance, and Malaysia won't take it lying down."
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