The Kleptocrats

Sam Hobkinson and Havana Marking’s documentary shines a spotlight on one of the most astonishing political scandals to impact Asian politics: the connection between Malaysian banker-philanthropist Jho Low and Malaysia’s prime minister, Najib Razak (who served from 2009-18). Low gained notoriety for his extravagant parties and friendship with Hollywood stars including Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro, but behind the glitz he was focused on a money-laundering scheme of mammoth proportions. The core of Low’s mischief was the Malaysian wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which was created to invest Malaysian funds into projects that would enrich the country’s coffers. A $1 billion investment in 2010 into the start-up Petro Saudi seemed more than a bit curious, and a battalion of investigative journalists began to piece together how 1MBD was being used to enrich Low and Razak. While Razak could use his office to crack down on Malaysian reporters trying to uncover the truth, journalists affiliated with U.S. media outlets including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Hollywood Reporter kept digging and discovered a tale of greed that had little precedent on either side of the Pacific. A fast-moving, compelling portrait of high-finance corruption, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)