IGP: Charges against Jho Low, 4 others are over Good Star, TIA

The charges brought against Jho Low and four of his associates yesterday were mainly over transactions involving Good Star Ltd, and 1MDB's predecessor the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), says inspector-general of police Mohamad Fuzi Harun.

The details of these charges were not made available to the press yesterday.

According to a statement by Fuzi, Low was slapped with five money laundering charges for transferring US$1.03 billion into Good Star's accounts between Sept 30, 2009 and Oct 25, 2011.

Good Star, a company registered in the Seychelles, is controlled by Low and had received funds which were allegedly diverted from a joint venture between 1MDB and Petrosaudi International.

Meanwhile, Low was also booked with two other money laundering charges together with associate Eric Tan Kim Loong.

Low and Tan's charges are in relation to the US$126 million they allegedly received which were linked to the issuance of Islamic medium term notes by TIA in May 2009.

Meanwhile, another Low associate Casey Tang Keng Chee was charged with criminal breach of trust over the transfer of US$700 million to Good Star.

Tang also faces two money laundering charges for allegedly receiving US$6.7 million in two tranches on Aug 5, 2009, and Dec 23, 2010.

Jasmine Loo Ai Swan was charged with two counts of money laundering over US$6 million received in a Swiss account she controlled on Dec 6, 2012 and July 1, 2014.

This is believed to be a portion of funds diverted from the first two 1MDB bond offerings underwritten by Goldman Sachs.

Finally, Terence Geh Choh Heng was charged with criminal breach of trust over the transfer of US$125 million to Good Star on Oct 25, 2011.

Tang, Loo, and Geh are all former 1MDB executives.

Tang had served as TIA's executive director of business development, and later became 1MDB’s executive director.

Loo, meanwhile, was previously 1MDB’s general counsel and executive director of group strategy.

Geh was 1MDB's executive director of finance.

As for Tan, he is a close associate and proxy of Low.

Arrest warrants have been issued for all five.  - Mkini