Michelle Yeoh to co-produce 1MDB docu-drama

Michelle Yeoh waving at fans, at left, and ‘Billion Dollar Whale’ book cover, at right. Photos: Picasa, Amazon
Michelle Yeoh waving at fans, at left, and ‘Billion Dollar Whale’ book cover, at right. Photos: Picasa, Amazon

Malaysia-born Hollywood actress Michelle Yeoh is co-producing a TV series based on the scandalous looting of state funds from the insolvent 1Malaysia Development Berhad firm, or 1MDB.

The 59-year-old veteran actress joins House of Cards screenwriter Beau Willimon and movie producer Jordan Tappis on the docu-drama, which will be adapted from the bestselling book by journalists Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, titled Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series will be backed by Westward Productions and SK Global Entertainment, which also supported the Crazy Rich Asians movie featuring Yeoh. 

The book centers on Malaysian fugitive Low Taek Jho, aka Jho Low, who is said to be the mastermind behind the theft of an estimated US$5 billion from the sovereign wealth fund established by former prime minister Najib Razak. Low was accused of spending the money on Hollywood movie The Wolf of Wall Street, a yacht, and wild parties, among others. 

Low’s whereabouts are still unknown. Last week, Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin said that local and international authorities have failed to locate Low, who was last rumored to be in Macau.

Other stories:

10 Malaysian businessmen, politicians named in ‘Pandora’ report exposing offshore wealth



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