KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, is reportedly living in luxury in China under unofficial protection, according to fresh claims by investigative journalists Bradley Hope and Tom Wright.

Speaking in their podcast, Finding Jho Low, which aired on Friday, the authors of Billion Dollar Whale revealed that Low is allegedly residing in Shanghai's upscale Green Hills neighbourhood and operating under a forged Australian passport using the alias "Constantinos Achilles Veis."

They claimed that former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had allegedly advised Low to flee the country as scrutiny of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal intensified, prompting him to escape to China where he had familial ties in the Chiuchow region.

"Despite being a fugitive, he is living comfortably, driving luxury cars and accompanied by Chinese security guards. It appears he is not under house arrest but enjoying an unrestricted life," Hope said in the podcast.

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Hope and Wright, who spent years tracking Low's global movements, also alleged that Malaysia lost as much as US$6 billion (RM28 billion) in Belt and Road Initiative-linked projects that were engineered with Low's involvement, mirroring the pattern of financial manipulation seen in the 1MDB scandal.

Among the most revealing claims was that Low had allegedly cultivated ties with high-ranking Chinese political figures and intelligence officers, positioning himself as a "shadow broker" who influenced Malaysia's foreign policy tilt towards Beijing.

The podcast also highlighted how Low allegedly played a role in corrupt infrastructure deals such as the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project, which involved bribes to Chinese officials, including former deputy public security minister Sun Lijun, who was later jailed for corruption.

A turning point in the investigation came in 2019 when a photo of Low at Shanghai Disneyland surfaced. Analysts said the image helped identify his close-knit circle and added weight to claims that he is under unofficial protection by Chinese authorities.

Hope and Wright suggested that Low has rebranded himself in China as a "dark arts coordinator," helping Chinese companies navigate complex regulatory environments, especially when dealing with the United States.

"He is not just hiding. He is actively helping Chinese entities operate in hostile geopolitical terrain. That makes him valuable," Wright said.

The journalists also claimed that Low had maintained an office at the Shanghai World Financial Centre, further suggesting he was actively engaged in financial or strategic work, rather than merely evading law enforcement.

Much of the information shared in the podcast came from undisclosed documents and confidential sources, which the journalists said they could not reveal due to safety concerns.

These revelations challenge earlier assumptions that Low was under house arrest or moving covertly from one location to another. Instead, they paint a picture of a man who remains influential and protected within a powerful foreign system.

Law enforcement agencies, including those in Malaysia and the United States, may now have to recalibrate their approach in seeking Low's return as calls grow louder for accountability in the multibillion-dollar corruption scandal.