'Billion Dollar Whale' book on Jho Low selling fast

PETALING JAYA: The book Billion Dollar Whale, the latest exposé on Jho Low, is now on sale in Malaysia and is already sold out in one bookshop chain.

The Guardian reported that London-based lawyers representing the fugitive businessman had sent threatening letters to bookshops around the world in an attempt to block distribution of the new book written by Wall Street Journal reporters Bradley Hope and Tom Wright.

The book describes how Malaysian Jho Low, whose real name is Low Taek Jho (pic), has been accused by the US government of masterminding the theft of billions of dollars from the Malaysian state-owned investment fund 1MDB, which was sent to bank accounts in Switzerland, Singapore and the Virgin Islands.

However, when contacted, most local distributors said they had already received stock of the books and are selling them online and at their outlets.

Borders Malaysia had no comment as to whether they had received any notification from any lawyers, and the book, which went on sale on Friday (Sept 14) there, sold out quickly.

Kinokuniya Malaysia's website features the book on its welcome page and says it is available at RM79.90 (RM67.91 online price for the paperback and RM110.41 online price for the hardcover).

Koichiro Satomi, managing director at the Kuala Lumpur store, confirmed that the book arrived two days ago and was on sale.

Popular Malaysia also lists the book as available (at a promotion price of RM59.90). According to its senior marketing manager Alicia Goh, the book is on sale at most outlets in peninsular Malaysia.

The Guardian article also stated that Billion Dollar Whale has received positive reviews in the United States, where it is released next week, but has been effectively blocked from distribution in Britain after a sustained legal campaign by Low's London-based law firm Schillings.