MALAYSIA has obtained the return of 12 high-value paintings connected to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal under a formal agreement with the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) announced.
The artworks, previously held by leading auction houses Christie’s and Sotheby’s and owned by Jasmine Loo (pic), are collectively valued at over US$30 million (RM123 million).
In a statement issued yesterday, MACC confirmed that the agreement followed two rounds of formal discussions with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and USDOJ in Washington DC and New York on 9 and 11 December last year.
Among the recovered pieces are Pablo Picasso’s 1961 painting L’Ecuyere et les Clowns, Joan Miró’s Composition (1953), William H. Bailey’s Still Life (b.1930), Alexander Calder’s Studies for Sculpture (1898-1976), and Henri Matisse’s Femme Assise (1869-1954).
The discussions also addressed the case of US rapper Pras Michel, sentenced to 14 years in prison for receiving US$120 million, a sum partially linked to 1MDB and its network of shell companies.
“Additionally, the USDOJ informed us that there are still assets belonging to Jho Low in Singapore, which were not included in the US Settlement Agreement,” MACC said.
Other cases reviewed during the talks included Tim Leissner, Tarek Obaid, PetroSaudi, Riza Aziz, and the law firm White & Case, highlighting the ongoing international effort to recover 1MDB-related funds.
MACC emphasised that the FBI and USDOJ are fully committed to strengthening cross-border collaboration with Malaysian authorities, including the Attorney General’s Chambers and the National Financial Crime Prevention Centre, to ensure that all outstanding overseas assets are traced, seized, and repatriated.
Meanwhile, MACC confirmed that other assets in Hong Kong, Singapore, and France have been liquidated, with the proceeds transferred to the United States.
Leading the Malaysian delegation was Datuk Mohamad Zamri Zainul Abidin, senior director of MACC’s Special Operations Division, accompanied by Datuk Seri Shamshun Baharin Mohd Jamil, director general of NFCC, and deputy public prosecutor Norinna Bahadun.
The discussions aimed to enhance global cooperation in joint investigations, streamline mutual legal assistance processes, and accelerate the recovery of remaining 1MDB-linked assets overseas, reinforcing Malaysia’s commitment to holding perpetrators accountable and repatriating stolen public funds. - December 14, 2025
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