Former 1MDB lawyer Jasmine Loo has led police to identify assets worth over RM93.2 million that were purchased using 1MDB funds, said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay.
Addressing a press conference this afternoon, the top cop said they include several properties in the US, London and Singapore, as well as nine paintings including two by the renowned painter Pablo Picasso.
According to Ayob, police have seized a number of the assets declared by Loo (above) that were kept in Malaysia, while for those overseas, works are underway to seize and forfeit with the aim of returning them to the government.
"The RM93.2 million total worth of these properties and assets were based on the prices when they were acquired in 2013.
"We believe that these assets are now worth even more," he said at a press conference in Bukit Aman.
Loo signed a statutory declaration on Aug 23 to return the said properties and assets to 1MDB, Ayob added.
Loo, a law graduate, is an associate of fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho, otherwise known as Jho Low. She was one of the suspects wanted by authorities to facilitate a probe into the troubled state investment arm.
The authorities, however, had not been successful in locating her until July 7, when they picked her up at a location in Kuala Lumpur.
She had since been under police custody to facilitate investigations related to the troubled state investment arm.
According to Ayob Khan, the properties that Loo had purchased include a property lot in New York, US worth US$4.6 million (RM21.4 million), a condominium in the US worth RM21.4 million, a condominium in London worth RM12.9 million, and two other condominium units in Singapore.
The nine paintings, he said, were estimated to be worth RM8.1 million. Eight of them were being kept in New York while another is said to be in Switzerland.
Loo also has over RM23 million kept in a bank account in the US, and another S$4 million (RM13.7 million) in another account that is kept in a bank in Singapore under a company called Heartland Global Ltd, among others.
Ayob told reporters that police have also raided a condominium in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur which they identified as a location used by Loo to store some of the assets.
Checks at the premises during the July 17 operation found two luxury watches of Richard Mille and Harry Winston brands, 13 handbags of various brands, one bracelet and several documents.
"The assets found were estimated to be worth RM625,500 and are now in the custody of the Commercial Crime Investigation Department," Ayob said.
‘Loo came back willingly’
Asked whether the lawyer had met Low when she was on the run, Ayob replied in the negative.
The top cop was also tightlipped on where Loo had been before her arrest in July.
Police believed that she might have decided to return to Malaysia to face the music due to the hardship of staying abroad.
"She had been abroad for too long, maybe she wanted to return to Malaysia to address all the cases against her.
"Besides, to stay in hiding in other countries is also troublesome. Maybe that was why she decided to return and surrender herself to face the law," he said.
Ayob also said Loo had been cooperative and police expect to release her to other agencies that are also investigating 1MDB-related cases soon. - Mkini
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