FUGITIVE Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho, internationally known as Jho Low, has reportedly petitioned United States President Donald Trump for a presidential pardon that could potentially eliminate criminal charges filed against him in the United States.
According to a report published by The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, the request was submitted in recent weeks and is understood to relate to ongoing American legal proceedings involving Low, who remains one of the world’s most wanted financial fugitives.
If granted, the pardon could effectively clear Low of criminal liabilities under United States jurisdiction.
Reuters, citing the report, on Wednesday said it was unable to independently verify the contents.
The Wall Street Journal, citing individuals familiar with the matter, reported that a filing connected to Low appeared on a United States Department of Justice website this year under the category “Pardon after Completion of Sentence”.
The filing was reportedly listed under the name “Taek Jho Low”.
The development marks a dramatic new twist in the long-running international pursuit of Low, who has been accused by authorities in multiple countries of orchestrating the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal.
American investigators previously alleged that billions of dollars were misappropriated from the sovereign wealth fund and laundered through a global network involving financial institutions, luxury assets, entertainment ventures and shell companies.
The scandal triggered investigations across several jurisdictions, including the United States, Malaysia, Singapore and Switzerland, and contributed significantly to political upheaval in Malaysia.
Low has consistently denied wrongdoing and has remained outside the reach of law enforcement authorities for years, despite repeated international efforts to locate and extradite him.
According to the report, a White House official said Low’s pardon request was not presently “on the White House’s radar”.
Neither Trump nor representatives linked to Low publicly commented further on the reported application.
Under the United States Constitution, the president possesses broad powers to grant pardons for federal offences, although such decisions often attract intense political and legal scrutiny, particularly in high-profile financial or corruption cases.
The reported pardon request comes amid continuing international attention surrounding unresolved aspects of the 1MDB affair and ongoing efforts by several governments to recover assets allegedly linked to the scandal.
Low’s current whereabouts remain unknown. - May 13, 2026
