1MDB scandal series in the works by creatives behind House of Cards

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MASSIVE corruption, the fall of a government (however short-lived), and a fugitive businessman; the story surrounding the 1MDB scandal is plenty dramatic and lends itself to an intriguing retelling. 

Hollywood seems to think so, as House Of Cards creator Beau Willimon is teaming up with Crazy Rich Asians’ co-financier SK Global to develop a television series based on Tom Wright and Bradley Hope’s international bestseller Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World.

Screenwriter David Henry Hwang, a three-time Pulitzer finalist and playwright, is writing and executive producing the project.

The book – and likely the series – focuses on the fugitive Jho Low, and his big-spending adventures on Wall Street and Hollywood. He operated in rarefied air in the intersection of politics, celebrity and international finance – with the alleged theft of billions of ringgit from the 1MDB investment fund.

Reportedly, the alleged amount stolen from 1MDB was estimated in September 2020 to be US$4.5 billion (RM18.8 billion) and a Malaysian government report listed 1MBD's outstanding debts to be at US$7.8 billion (RM32.7 billion).

He’s currently wanted by Malaysian authorities, as well as being investigated by law enforcement organisations in Singapore, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the US. No one knows where he is, though it’s suspected that he might be somewhere in China, maybe Macau.

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