U.S. Probes Whether 1MDB Malaysian Fugitive Laundered Funds to Top Trump Figures

The U.S. is investigating whether a fugitive Malaysian financier laundered tens of millions of dollars and used the money to pay a legal team that included former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and a lawyer who represents President Trump, The Wall Street Journal reports. Court filings say businessman Jho Low is alleged to have played a key role in the alleged embezzlement of $4.5 billion from a Malaysian fund known as 1Malaysia Development Bhd. The team of lawyers and consultants working for Low included Christie, lobbyist Ed Rogers, Trump’s longtime lawyer Marc Kasowitz, Trump Organization lawyer Bobby Burchfield, and vice chairman of the Trump campaign’s joint fund with the Republican Party Elliott Broidy. There is reportedly no indication that people who received payments from Low were aware the funds could have originated from laundered money; actor Leonardo DiCaprio was previously roped into the sprawling scandal, and forced to return funds tied to the scam. The Justice Department is investigating Low’s potential use of two intermediaries to facilitate the payments through the international financial system. Low has previously denied wrongdoing.