LOW Taek Jho’s settlement with the US Department of Justice has no bearing on Malaysia’s hunt for the fugitive financier to face charges back home, said Attorney-General Tommy Thomas.

He told The Edge that the deal covered just the 30 asset forfeiture claims filed by DoJ against the alleged 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal mastermind, better known as Jho Low.

“Other criminal charges for money-laundering and corruption filed against Jho Low by DoJ are not part of the settlement,” he was quoted as saying.

“As far as Malaysia is concerned, all our charges against him will continue, and he should return home to face them instead of hiding and making… claims that he will not get a fair trial.”

He said it is clear for all to see that former prime minister Najib Razak’s 1MDB and SRC International Sdn Bhd trials are being conducted transparently before an independent judiciary, adding: “Jho Low will be guaranteed that.”

Malaysia is keen to see the return of the USS$700 million (RM2.9 billion) in allegedly swindled 1MDB funds that will be seized by DoJ, said Thomas.

In August last year, police filed charges against Low and his father, Larry, under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 over funds purportedly stolen from 1MDB, said The Edge.

Low was slapped with eight counts of money-laundering, involving a total of US$443 million.

He was then charged with another five counts under the same act for receiving US$1.03 billion from the state investor through his company, Good Star Ltd.

Low was also jointly charged with Eric Tan Kim Loong, 40, with two money-laundering offences involving US$1.26 million. – November 1, 2019.