The star witness of the 1MDB-Tanore Trial, the firm’s former legal counsel, Jasmine Loo today admitted that she had gone to parties all over the world and fraternised with celebrities like Leonardo Di Caprio, David Beckham and supermodel Adriana Lima, all purportedly friends of rogue fugitive Jho Low.
KUALA LUMPUR – The High Court was told today that Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, the former general legal counsel for 1MDB, had gone on numerous events all over the world and partied with Hollywood celebrities at the invitation of 1MDB mastermind, Low Taek Jho (Jho Low).
Jasmine had no choice but to admit that she was part of Jho Low’s inner circle, even though she had earlier claimed that Jho Low was threatening her not to return to Malaysia, as Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah, the defence counsel representing former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had documented proof that Jasmine was present at the parties with the celebrities at various parts of the world.
These events, which saw the presence of, among others, Hollywood actor Leonardo Di Caprio, football legend David Beckham and supermodel Adriana Lima, included the World Cup final in Brazil, skiing in Whistler in Canada and a double New Year celebration in one day – in Sydney and Las Vegas, using Jho Low’s private jet.
Jasmine Loo’s Family Was Present Too
Interestingly, at some of these events, Jasmine’s and Jho Low’s families were also present, reflecting a very close relationship between the two of them. At the same time, during most of these events, Jasmine was the only one from 1MDB invited for the soirees.
Earlier, Jasmine told the court that she did not lodge reports over purported threats she received from Jho Low while living in exile between 2018 and last year as she did not want to endanger herself further by reporting these threats.
Asked by Shafee about her life outside Malaysia prior to her arrest by police last year, Jasmine said she initially lived in Thailand, but moved to Cambodia later in 2018, before relocating to China and Myanmar.
She said Low had said there would be “reprisals” if she returned home. He also said he was in the midst of negotiations with the then Pakatan Harapan government.
“He asked me not to spoil his plan (negotiations).
“I felt that if I did not follow his instructions, there might be consequences, and I believed at that time he would take drastic action (against me),” said Loo.
Xavier Justo
The witness also said she did not want to face the same fate as former PetroSaudi executive Xavier Justo, whom she claimed was “forced” to make a false confession.
Shafee: Did you lodge a police report after you came back?
Jasmine: I did not. I will have to take advice from my lawyers.
Asked about her current status as a protected witness, Jasmine refused to answer. Deputy public prosecutor Deepa Nair Thevaharan then informed the court that the witness is barred from disclosing details.
Jasmine said she had resolved a lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice (DoJ) against her, which saw her surrender all items claimed by the US government.
Shafee: You received expensive gifts from Jho Low?
Jasmine: Over the years, when I was in UBG Group.
She said the items included a Richard Mille watch and a Hermes bag which she received after leaving 1MDB.
Explaining the exotic holidays she took with Low, which included visits to casinos in Las Vegas, Jasmine said she went along as a friend.
When questioned by Shafee about the statements made about her by former Goldman Sachs banker Tim Leissner, she insisted that these were untrue.
Jasmine said she only knew today about the comments Leissner made about her when testifying at former banker-colleague Roger Ng’s corruption trial in Brooklyn, New York.
Jho Low’s Henchman
Asked by Shafee about Leissner’s claim that she was the “number one henchman” of Jho Low, Jasmine said: “That was his (Leissner’s) opinion. It is not true.”
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Jasmine also denied a claim by Leissner that she was “not happy” about a sum of money she was supposed to receive in a Credit Suisse bank account. Leissner was reported to have said that Jasmine told him that the amount received was “inadequate”.
She said that all projects undertaken by 1MDB required Najib’s endorsement as he was a shareholder in 1MDB by virtue of being the finance minister and chairman of the company’s board of advisors.
Najib’s Approval
Jasmine, who joined 1MDB in 2011, also said that during her tenure with the company, it was the “practice” to seek Najib’s approval for all company projects.
Shafee: Didn’t (that practice) relegate all the directors into oblivion?
Jasmine: That was the practice.
Shafee: Was it your job to make sure that he (Najib) was signing a document in his capacity as the prime minister, finance minister or shareholder?
Jasmine: In substance, it was the same person (Najib).
The hearing continues on March 14 before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
Najib is facing 25 counts of money laundering and abuse of power over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014. – NMH
Datin Hasnah is the co-founder and CEO of New Malaysia Herald based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
With an extensive background in mass communication and journalism, she works on building up New Malaysia Herald and it’s partner sites. A tireless and passionate evangalist, she champions autism studies and support groups.
Datin Hasnah is also the Editor in Chief of New Malaysia Herald.
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