Culture / Celebrities

Miranda Kerr Surrenders $8 m worth of Jho Low’s diamonds linked to Malaysian 1MDB laundering case

Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr has just surrendered $US8.1 million worth of jewellery gifted to her when she dated Jho Low in 2014

Jun 28, 2017 | By Jonathan Ho
Miranda Kerr currently has her own collection of jewellery with Swarovski.

Miranda Kerr currently has her own collection of jewellery with Swarovski.

According to the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr has just surrendered $US8.1 million worth of jewellery from her Los Angeles deposit box to government agents of the US Department of Justice. The US$8 million haul is said to have been the sum total of gifts in jewellery when Miranda Kerr dated Malaysian financier Jho Low in 2014 following her separation and divorce from Orlando Bloom.  The US Department of Justice is investigating money laundering linked the Malaysian 1MDB investment fund and when they uncovered a trail linking Jho Low’s many acquisitions to 1MDB.

US prosecutors are certain that while they were dating, Jho Low gifted Kerr with jewellery, including a $3.8m (£3m) 8.88 carat diamond pendant from New York-based designer Lorraine Schwartz and an ultra expensive 11.72 carat diamond pendant.

Kerr dated scandal ridden Malaysian businessman Jho Low for a year in 2014 where he gifted Kerr with lavish gifts.

Kerr dated scandal ridden Malaysian businessman Jho Low for a year in 2014 where he gifted Kerr with lavish gifts.

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Miranda Kerr Surrenders $8 m worth of Jho Low’s diamonds linked to Malaysian 1MDB laundering case

“Miranda Kerr co-operated fully and pledged to turn over the gifts of jewellery to the government. Ms Kerr will continue to assist with the inquiry in any way she can.”- Miranda Kerr’s spokesman to WSJ.

Miranda Kerr is herself not under US Department of Justice investigation but was unfortunately linked to the scandal surrounding Malaysian businessman Jho Low who dated the supermodel for a year in 2014.

The rotund Low spent millions of the money on custom jewellery, wooing Kerr. The many gifts included designer Lorraine Schwartz engraved necklaces and bracelets bearing Kerr’s initials, among them, a major 11.72 carat heart shaped diamond pendent for Valentine’s Day and an 8.88-carat diamond pendant worth $3.8 million.

The insecure Low followed up with another US$1.9 million matching diamond jewellery set, presented on the recently seized Equanimity yacht, during an outing on the seas.

According to US Justice Department, more than US$4.25 have been stolen from the Malaysian 1MDB fund including assets acquired using 1MDB monies like a Picasso gifted to Leonardo DiCaprio. 1MDB funds are also believed to have been used by the son of Malaysian Official 1, Riza Aziz to finance major Hollywood films like The Wolf of Wall Street. Malaysian Official 1 refers to Najib Razak of whom Riza Aziz is his stepson by marriage.

Like Kerr, DiCaprio is also not accused of any crime and he has begun to transfer ownership of US3.2 million worth of artwork to the authorities. The US government is still seeking more than $1 billon of assets acquired with money moved from the Malaysian 1MDB including nearly US$30 million worth of jewellery belong to Najib’s wife, Rosmah.


 
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