Unmasking Leonardo DiCaprio's Relationship With 1MDB Fugitive

A sequel to the charges against DiCaprio, linking him with the Malaysian fraudster, led to a series of interrogations from the FBI. In April 2018, the Titanic actor sat down with FBI agents and Federal prosecutors to discuss his relationship with Jho Low. Bloomberg Businessweek has published the leaked summary of DiCaprio's interview with the FBI.

Jho Low is a 41-year-old Malaysian businessman wanted by the U.S. government for criminal financial fraud schemes. The Asian businessman is reported to have masterminded the embezzling of a $4.5 billion sovereign wealth fund from Malaysia's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The star actor and Malaysia businessman reportedly first came in contact in 2010. According to DiCaprio's leaked testimony with the FBI, the actor stated he first met with Low in New York City at a nightclub. His statement revealed they were introduced by a mutual friend who told him Low was a financier looking to get into the movie-making industry.

As "part of the Hollywood business culture," in the statement by DiCaprio, Jho Low had a way of creeping into celebrities' friend lists by throwing "outlandish parties." The leaked summary from Bloomberg Businessweek stated, "DiCaprio was most intrigued by Low's parties, which involved performances by famous musicians, including Usher and Jamie Foxx."

Being part of the "woo" to get acquainted with stars, Low was famous for his random donations and gifts to celebrities. Kim Kardashian is featured in Bloomberg's report; the reality star told the FBI that Low once offered her a Basquiat artwork, and her ex-husband, Kanye West, asked the Malaysian for a Monet.

Grooming his relationship with DiCaprio, Low's gift to the Wolf of Wall Street star was a Marlon Brando's Oscar statue. Although that's not all, the report also mentions a valuable donation of artworks worth millions was given from Low to DiCaprio's foundation and also the first edition of The Great Gatsby. The U.S. government has now confiscated all gifts received by DiCaprio from Low following Low's indictment.

After working on various highly-financed projects together, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jho Low's social lives became sort of intertwined. At the time, DiCaprio started introducing Low to his friends as "my man," while the Malaysian referred to the actor as "Ldogg."

According to DiCaprio, on the first meeting with Low, he knew little to nothing of the Malaysian, and he had no reason to doubt his source of wealth. In the leaked FBI interview summary, it says, "At first, DiCaprio did not know much about Low except he was from Malaysia, had lots of money, and he wanted to get into the movie industry."

Recounting his ordeal with Low, DiCaprio said he wasn't sure of Low's source of wealth, but a friend of his described the Malaysian as the "Mozart of the business world," being a "generous, wealthy man."

While funding for The Wolf of Wall Street from Low was still in talks, the actor mentioned Low's claims that funding for the movie came from a "whale of whales" in Abu Dhabi — but DiCaprio never met or knew the supposed Whale.

When asked about his first suspicion of Low by the FBI, DiCaprio stated to have never doubted the Malaysian. In the report, "DiCaprio lives in a world of rumors," and for that reason, he didn't take any allegations about Low seriously.

While the FBI and Federal prosecutors continued to press DiCaprio about his negligence to his business partner's source of wealth, the actor mentioned that vetting his associates was his team's job.

He also mentioned his team had given him a "green light" to do business with Low. But he never thoroughly went through the background check done by his publicist, Shawn Sachs of Low.

Like any friendship, problems are bound to arise. The summary also noted a time in 2015 during DiCaprio's annual fundraiser in St. Tropez that embarrassed the star. Apparently, Jho Low had promised to donate a Roy Lichtenstein piece to his foundation and never delivered — DiCaprio felt embarrassed. 

In the same leaked summary, Leonardo stated that it was until the press reports in 2015 implicating the financier for crimes that he believed all the previous allegations against Low.

Sharing all he knew of Low to the FBI, the Oscar-winning actor stated he had heard in a discussion about giving $20 or $30 million to President Obama's reelection campaign in 2012. Further adding that the businessman used the term "we" as in "we're giving" donations to Obama — claiming to be a big supporter of his campaign.

49-year-old rapper Prakazrel Michel, a.k.a Pras, is allegedly at the center of Low's plot for involvement in U.S. politics. Following statements from the prosecutors, about $21.6 million was transferred by Low's from foreign entities to Michel's account between June 2012 and November 2012 with supposed plans of funneling it into the U.S. elections.

Low and Michel's plot was simple. They wanted to "buy access to, and potentially influence with a candidate, the candidate's campaign and the candidate's administration."

Fortunately for the star actor, he is not being charged with any wrongdoings, as he was negligent to Low's plot. But he is listed among potential witnesses in the Federal criminal trial of rapper Prakazrel "Pras" Michel.

DiCaprio's attorney sent a press release to clear his name publicly, requesting that the U.S. prosecutors openly thank the star for his assistance in the Low financial fraud case. The government declined it.

It's been eight years since Jho Low's case became public, and he has been on the run from the U.S. government — residing in China. A Red Notice from 2016 remains issued for the Malaysian businessman.