How the 1MDB Loot Was Spent, as Alleged by the DoJ

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The splurge on excesses boggles the mind – the diamonds, artworks, private jet, luxury yacht, luxurious properties and some more. 

It has been already widely reported that supermodel Miranda Kerr has handed to the US Department of Justice (DoJ) the diamond jewellery former boyfriend Jho Low showered on her.

Getty Images / Christie’s

Earlier, actor Leonardo DiCaprio also reportedly returned gifts allegedly purchased with 1MDB funds – the US$3.2m Pablo Picasso painting ‘Nature morte au crâne de taureau’ he received for his birthday, the US$9m Jean-Michel Basquiat collage ‘Redman One’ and the US$0.75m Diane Arbus photograph ‘Boy with the Toy Hand Grenade’.

Getty Images

He also handed over an Oscar statuette won by Marlon Brando, given to him by Red Granite Pictures, the film production company co-founded by prime minister Najib Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz.

Other Extravagant Purchases in the DoJ’s 2016 Lawsuit

Bombardier Global 5000: Jho Low’s private jet with a seating capacity of up to 19 passengers. Price: US$35.3m.

Greene Condominium: Low bought this luxury condo in New York’s SoHo district. Price: US$13.8m.

Joseph Pell Lombardi

Hillcrest Property 1: Riza purchased this property in Beverly Hills, California, from Low. It sprawls over 11,000 square feet and has five bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, a projection room, a gourmet kitchen and a 120-foot-long pool. Price: US$17.5m.

The L’Ermitage Property: Low acquired this Beverly Hills luxury hotel managed by the Viceroy Group. Price: US$44.8m.

Oriole Mansion: Low bought this gem of a property in Beverly Hills that once belonged to ‘Fantasy Island’ actor Ricardo Montalban.

Including the detached garage and guest house, the estate supposedly weighs in at close to 18,000 square feet and boasts of unimpeded views of the LA basin, the ocean and the mountains.

Legorreta + Legorreta

The DoJ said various upgrading works, including the construction of a gym and audio visual upgrade were carried out at the mansion. Price: US$39m.

Park Lane Hotel: Low had a 55% stake in this hotel overlooking Central Park in New York. Price: US$660m.

Park Lane Hotel

Park Laurel Condominium: Low purchased this lavish New York penthouse with a sprawling 7,738 square feet of interior space and a 1,244-square-foot wraparound trophy terrace that captures both park and city views – a combination of three units designed by the architect Alan Wanzenberg for a previous owner.

City Realty / Condopedia

It houses seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, two powder rooms and a personal elevator entrance. Price: US$24m.

Qentas Townhouse: Riza bought this secluded property and a parking space in upmarket Belgravia, London. Price: US$41.8m (£23.25m).

Dan Baga/The Wall Street Journal

Time Warner Penthouse: Low purchased the 76th-floor penthouse in New York, once home to the celebrity couple Jay Z and Beyoncé.

Zillow /  Andrea Morales/The New York Times

It was reported that actor Robert De Niro’s son, Raphael De Niro of Douglas Elliman Real Estate oversaw the sale, which is listed as the highest yield price per square foot at the Time Warner Center. Price: US$30.5m.

Oscar-Claude Monet’s ‘Nympheas Avec Reflets de Hautes Herbes’ oil painting. Price: US$57.5m (£33.83m).

Sotherby’s

Monet’s ‘Saint Georges Majeur’ oil paint. Price: US$35m.

Cultural Institute

Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘La Maison de Vincent a Arles’ pen and ink drawing. Price: US$5.5m.

Christie’s

More Alleged Purchases in the DoJ’s 2017 Lawsuit

The Equanimity: Low’s 91-metre yacht equipped to handle 26 guests and 33 crew. Awarded the Best in Show prize at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2014, it boasts of a helipad, a gym, a cinema, a massage room, a sauna, a steam room, an experiential shower, and a plunge pool. Price: US$261m.

Low’s whereabouts are reportedly unknown. However, The Australian reported that the yacht was anchored off the small Cambodian island of Koh Rong on Jun 16.

Metropolis Poster: A framed, 3-sheet colour lithograph poster created by German artist Heinz Schulz-Neudamm for the 1927 silent film ‘Meteropolis’. Price: US$13.8m.

Matching diamond ring and earrings: Low bought this jewellery set for his mother. Price: US$1.7m.

22-carat pink diamond necklace: Low arranged to purchase this from New York-based jewellery designer Lorraine Schwartz, which specialises in high-end bespoke diamond jewellery, for the wife of Malaysian Official 1 (MO1). Price: US$27.3m.

27 assorted gold necklaces and bracelets: Low also arranged to purchase these items from Schwartz for the wife of MO1. Price: US$1.3m.