Got $130m? Disgraced 1MDB Hollywood financier’s superyacht put up for sale
If you've got a spare $130m (£103.1m) lying around, you could be the next owner of Equanimity: the luxury superyacht belonging to fugitive Malaysian financier and "tabloid party boy" Low Taek Jho.
Also known as Jho Low, the still-at-large financier is wanted in connection with the alleged embezzlement of billions of dollars from Malaysian sovereign development fund 1MDB.
The Equanimity is among $1.7bn in assets allegedly bought by financier Low and his associates with money taken from the fund, according to the US Department of Justice. These also included a private jet, Picasso paintings, real estate and jewellery.
Appraised by independent marine consultancy Winterbothams, Jho Low allegedly paid $250m for the yacht which has an interior clad in marble and gold leaf, a spa and sauna, a 20 metre swimming pool, a movie theatre and a helipad.
Low had his Malaysian passport revoked last month, as a warrant for his arrest was put out as well as an Interpol red notice. He had previously denied charges filed against him in Malaysia, arguing that he would not receive a fair trial in the country.
He was known for his partying antics in the world of Hollywood, having previously appeared on red carpets alongside stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio.
Two of his associates, former Goldman bankers Tim Leissner and Roger Ng, were included in legal filings by the US Department of Justice last month.
The department said Leissner had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money, and agreed to pay $43.7m. Ng, on the other hand, was arrested by Malaysian authorities and was expected to be extradited to the US.
According to the filings, Low, Ng, Leissner and others conspired to bribe Malaysian and Abu Dhabi officials, including at 1MDB, to retain bond deals for the Financial Institution.
Goldman Sachs and former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, whose government set up 1MDB, have both consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection with the trio's crimes.