Arrest warrant issued for financier Jho Low in 1MDB scandal

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has issued arrest warrants for financier Low Taek Jho, aka Jho Low, and a former official at state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil over the alleged multibillion-dollar fraud at the fund, according to a report in The Straits Times Malaysia on Thursday.

More arrest warrants are in the pipeline against two others, including former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng and former fund chief, Datuk Shahrol Halmi.

The four individuals have not been charged with any wrongdoing and it is unclear what suspicions underpin the warrants.

Earlier on Thursday, MACC said it summoned Low who US prosecutors have portrayed as a central figure in the plot to embezzle money from 1MDB and Mr Nik Faisal.

Malaysian investigators said last month they have met with their counterparts from the US and Singapore to discuss working together.  MACC head said on May 22 he expected charges to be filed soon without specifying against whom.

But Home Affairs Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said in a speech to his employees at the ministry on Thursday that authorities have enough evidence against Low.

Goldman Sachs was awarded US$593 million in consultation fees for arranging bond deals for the Malaysian fund.

Roger Ng resigned as head of Goldman Sachs’ head of Southeast Asia sales and trading in April 2014.  He is currently the managing director for Asia at energy drink maker Celsius Holdings Inc.