According to Deadline, Leonardo DiCaprio secretly testified to a grand jury in Washington, D.C. as part of the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into a multibillion-dollar scandal involving "some of the highest members of the Malaysian government." Even though DiCaprio isn’t deemed a target of the probe, he’s being considered a witness, given his relationship with financier Low Taek Jho, the individual at the center of the case.
Low, who was charged with theft and money laundering, has allegedly allowed DiCaprio to gamble on his dime in the past at The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas. The actor received artwork from Low through an associate, including a $3.2 million Picasso painting which was seized by prosecutors.
DiCaprio also received help funding the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street from Low through finances pulled from Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, 1 Malaysian Development Berhad, or 1MDB. The money was partially routed to a production company co-founded by Riza Shahriz bin Abdul Aziz, stepson of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, who Leo was introduced to by Low.
DiCaprio mentioned Low for his help in Wolf of Wall Street in his acceptance speech for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy at the 2013 Golden Globes.
Low allegedly laundered billions of dollars from 1MDB in the U.S., and in turn, attempted to finance a lobbying campaign to end the investigation.
