DoJ gone too far with yacht seizure, says Jho Low

Updated 6 years ago · Published on 28 Feb 2018 9:14PM · 6 Comments

LOW Taek Jho today accused the US Department of Justice (DoJ) of overreach, after a super yacht allegedly purchased by the financier was seized by Indonesian authorities in its waters.

A spokesperson for the fugitive businessman and confidant of Prime Minister Najib Razak said despite staying asset forfeiture proceedings, the DOJ continues its “deeply flawed and politically-motivated” allegations of impropriety.

“The US Department of Justice has stayed asset forfeiture proceedings in this case and has still not taken any steps to prove any impropriety has occurred,” the spokesperson said in a statement released today.

“It is therefore disappointing that rather than reflect on the deeply flawed and politically-motivated allegations, the DoJ is continuing with its pattern of global over reach – all based on entirely unsupported claims of wrongdoing.”

The statement follows reports Indonesian authorities today seized an RM1 billion yacht DoJ has alleged was bought by Low with money siphoned from troubled 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Low, who is better known as Jho Low, has been named by the US department as the mastermind in a scheme to siphon billions of dollars from the state investment fund.

The vessel, moored in waters near the island of Bali, can hold 26 guests and 33 crew members. It also has a helicopter pad.

DoJ has launched a criminal investigation into the allegations of misappropriation of funds from 1MDB and in September was granted a delay of civil suits filed in the past two years to forfeit more than US$1 billion (RM4.3 billion) in real estate and other assets.

In the civil cases, the department alleged between 2009 and 2015, more than US$4.5 billion belonging to 1MDB was diverted by high-level officials of the state investor and their associates.

In June, the DoJ filed another suit to seize US$540 million in assets, including the Equanimity and the rights to Dumb and Dumber To, produced by Red Granite, a production house co-owned by Riza Aziz, Najib’s stepson. – February 28, 2018.

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Comments

  • Alamak, Fatty Jho still unrepentant. If he thinks he is innocent, fight in court, no point hiding everywhere.

    Posted 6 years ago by Yong Yeok Fong · Reply

  • Come on out wherever you are. We want to have a chat with you, Jho

    Posted 6 years ago by HC Lung · Reply

  • Hallelluyah halleluyah

    Posted 6 years ago by Leslie Chan · Reply

  • I think Jho Low stepped on somebody’s toe in his high flying days as the billion dollar golden boy from Malaysia. Somebody very high up in America seems intent on making Jho Low stripping Jho Low naked and parade him through the streets so to speak, and think the reason why is because Jho Low must have been very careless with his manners and attitude during his high flying days. Either way, karma bites - can’t say the pudgy little fella doesn’t deserve it, can we...

    Posted 6 years ago by Nehru Sathiamoorthy · Reply

  • Abandoned and hung out to dry.This is an unavoidable eventuality. A sacrificial lamb must be offered to appease

    Posted 6 years ago by Bryan Wong · Reply

  • Stay of civil suit has nothing to do with warrant. If warrant is outstanding, then seizure is legit.

    Posted 6 years ago by Bigjoe Lam · Reply