The sovereign investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and its four subsidiaries have obtained a High Court judgment in default against Low Taek Jho’s sister, Low May Lin, and his associate Eric Tan Kim Loong, for US$809,319 and US$2.795 billion respectively.
The judgment, granted by High Court judge Mahazan Mat Taib, comes after the duo failed to enter an appearance, file any pleading, or attend the trial despite being properly served with court papers.
Judge Mahazan noted that evidence presented in the civil suit demonstrated that then-Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak exercised de facto control over 1MDB’s major financial decisions, while Jho Low acted as Najib’s authorised proxy and shadow director, despite holding no formal position in the fund.
“The identities of the recipients, the structure of the transactions, and the roles of Jho Low and Datuk Seri Najib establish that the funds reaching Tan Kim Loong and Low May Lin were tainted proceeds,” the judge said.
The civil suit, filed in May 2021 by 1MDB and its subsidiaries—including 1MDB Energy Holdings Limited, 1MDB Energy Limited, 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited, and Global Diversified Investment Company Limited—targets Jho Low, his family, and associates. The suit alleges that the defendants fraudulently misappropriated, knowingly received, and concealed funds belonging to 1MDB, in addition to claims of unjust enrichment, breach of trust, and conspiracy.
Previously, in November 2022, 1MDB and its subsidiaries obtained default judgments against Jho Low, his father, and his brother. In May 2024, a similar judgment was granted against Low’s mother.
This latest ruling adds to a series of legal victories for 1MDB in its long-running effort to recover funds allegedly misappropriated by Jho Low and his close associates.
