Feds Probing Whether Chris Christie Got Laundered Money: Reports

Federal investigations are probing whether a fugitive Malaysian financier laundered tens of millions of dollars through two associates and used the funds to pay a legal team that includes ex-NJ Gov. Chris Christie and a lawyer who represents President Trump, according to reports.

Jho Low, a suspect in the theft of billions of dollars from the government, was charged Friday with eight counts of laundering money – much of it reportedly used to buy a $250 million yacht, according to The New York Times.

Low has been moving around Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China in recent months, according to The Wall Street Journal, noting there is no indication that any of the people who ultimately received payments were aware that the funds were potentially laundered.

The Justice Department is investigating Low’s potential use of two intermediaries to facilitate the payments through the international financial system, according to The Wall Street Journal. The team of lawyers and consultants working for Low includes Christie; Trump’s longtime lawyer Marc Kasowitz ; Bobby Burchfield, a lawyer who has served as the Trump Organization’s outside ethics adviser; and Ed Rogers, a Washington lobbyist with close ties to the Republican Party.

Christie is representing Low in asset-forfeiture cases in California, a spokesman for the former governor told The Wall Street Journal. “There has been no communication by Governor Christie with any other area of government on Mr. Low’s behalf."

Low is accused of playing a key role in the theft of at least $4.5 billion from a government investment fund, 1 Malaysia Development Berhad, that was established and overseen by the former prime minister, Najib Razak, according to The New York Times.

The scandal over missing government money, including the diversion of $731 million to Najib’s personal account, outraged many Malaysians and helped secure Najib’s upset election defeat in May, according to the report.

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