Report Cyprus Strips Fugitive Jho Low Of Citizenship

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The Cyprus cabinet decided yesterday to revoke the Cypriot citizenship of Malaysian-born fugitive financier Low Taek Jho or better known as Jho Low.
According to a report by the Cyprus Mail, a source confirmed that the passport revocation decision was based on the recommendation of Interior Minister Nicos Nouris.
The source adds that the cabinet had not stripped any other persons of their citizenship.
Established in 1945, the Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus.
It also cited the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) as saying that the decision was taken after the Interior Ministry had received fresh information about Low.
This was after the Cyprus government in March concluded that there was sufficient evidence to rescind Low’s citizenship.
However, the Interior Ministry then reached out to Interpol for additional data, following which it recommended the revocation of the passport.
Granted citizenship in 2015
Low (above) had been granted citizenship of the Mediterranean island state in 2015.
He is the alleged mastermind behind the multi-billion 1MDB scandal and has been charged in absentia in US and Malaysian courts.
Low is currently at large.
The Cyprus Mail said despite being flagged as high-risk, local mediators had filed an application on Low’s behalf.
It was also claimed that he had transferred close to €6m (about RM29.2 million) into an account in the Bank of Cyprus and purchased a seaside mansion in Ayia Napa for €5 million.
He thus obtained citizenship within a couple of days.
Low was also reported to have donated around €310,000 to the late ex-Archbishop Chrysostomos, who put in a good word with the interior ministry.
In 2019, the island’s citizenship-by-investment programme – referred to as the ‘golden passports’ scheme – came under intense scrutiny.
The Cypriot government set up a committee of inquiry to probe the programme, which revealed that 53 percent of the 6,779 citizenships granted from 2007 to 2020 were unlawful. - Mkini

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