After a salacious report in The New York Post claimed that Malaysia’s best known bao-on-the-run, fugitive financier Jho Low, might just have evaded justice by hiding in plain sight in Los Angeles, California, police here have publicly dismissed such speculation.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Abdul Hamid Bador told media that he and his force are “confident” that Low is still at his last known whereabouts, in hiding and in the protection of authorities in the unnamed country.
IGP Abdul Hamid says that they are still in negotiations with the unnamed nation to bring Low back to face justice in Malaysia.
“I did not expect Jho Low to be so crafty to enter USA as American security is very tight. If it occurs under the nose of the American authorities, it would be extremely embarrassing. But I am confident he is still at the place which I mentioned and he is getting protection. It is still too early for me to say where… maybe Kazakhstan or other places,” he said at a press conference in Penang yesterday.
“I am still patient and giving them time. We will cooperate with any country on police matters. I will try my level best to bring back Jho Low. I did not say he will be coming back at the end of this year, but I have set a deadline. He should be on trial in this country.”
Jho is also wanted by US authorities for his role in the 1MDB financial scandal that allegedly saw billions siphoned off from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund and directly into the pockets of corrupt individuals. Among the accused beneficiaries? Former Malaysian PM Najib Razak, and Mr. Low himself.
In late September, the Post‘s Page Six column carried a short item alleging that a Los Angles partygoer saw a man that they say looked very similar to the unofficial King of the Friendzone Miranda Kerr’s purported ex-boyfriend — i.e. a Low-alike — at a Hollywood Hills party.
“I thought it was him. Could there be a guy that looks like him? Of course. But I thought it was him. People were convinced,” said an individual at the soiree.
In fact, there is a guy that looks like him. In 2009, the very same Page Six revealed that the elusive Low was often mistaken for a popular scenester photographer, Chance Yeh.
Here is a photo of Chance Yeh with 2000s pox The Cobrasnake on the left:
Coconuts KL conclusion: Sounds like the Post‘s source may have some trouble telling Asians apart. Eye-roll. Shade.
