The People and the World Around Jho Low
At the center stands Jho Low, a Malaysian dealmaker who built his power not through creating businesses, but through managing appearances. He understood early that many wealthy and influential people respond to confidence, access, and glamour before they ask hard questions. That instinct allowed him to move among politicians, royals, bankers, celebrities, and socialites while hiding that much of his money was stolen.
Around him was a large cast that made the fraud possible. Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak, and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, gave Low political protection and access to state money. Najib’s stepson, Riza Aziz, became Low’s bridge into Hollywood. Low also relied on loyal aides such as Jasmine Loo, Casey Tang, and Eric Tan, along with family members who understood offshore finance and helped him mask where money came from.
The scheme also needed foreign partners. In the Gulf, Low cultivated men close to power in Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia, including Yousef Al Otaiba and Khadem Al Qubaisi. In banking, his most important ally became Tim Leissner of Goldman Sachs, a star banker willing to push profitable deals past obvious warning signs. Private bankers in Switzerland and Singapore helped move funds through shell companies and secret accounts.
This network stretched across several worlds that usually seem separate: sovereign wealth funds, elite law firms, private banks, luxury real estate, nightclubs, and movie studios. Low moved between them easily because each one offered something the others needed. Politicians needed cash, bankers wanted fees, celebrities liked rich backers, and wealth managers profited from handling enormous accounts. That mix created ideal conditions for a huge fraud to keep growing.
The story reaches its peak in scenes of absurd luxury, especially Low’s giant birthday party in Las Vegas in 2012. It looked like the celebration of a young billionaire at the height of his powers, with stars, secrecy agreements, rare champagne, and custom-built spectacle. In truth, it was the public face of a hidden operation that had drained billions from a Malaysian state fund created for national development.
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