Meerabelle Jesuthasan | The other Wharton Graduate

Exorbitant lifestyle. Infamous interviews. A wealthy family who funded his debut as an entrepreneur. Portly, frequently-mocked physique. Lavish habits that are as fascinating as they are shameful to an entire country’s politics. And a Wharton graduate. Sound familiar?

He’s not Donald Trump, but Malaysian tycoon Jho Low comes pretty close. It’s hard to say what he does exactly. His Twitter bio offers that he is the CEO of finance company Jynwel Capital, as well as a “global entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Investor” (with a capital I, a deliciously Whartonite detail). But what he is actually known for is his involvement in a corruption crisis that is currently rocking Malaysian politics. Low is accused of money laundering and fraud in his exorbitant real estate dealings, while partying it up in the United States with the likes of Paris Hilton.

This corruption scandal goes all the way up to Prime Minister Najib Razak. He, Low and other government members are accused of transferring money from the sovereign wealth fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, which was recently found to be missing $4 billion. Low formed connections with Najib’s family when he met his stepson, Riza Aziz, as an undergraduate in London. The two are now involved in several ventures together, notably in Aziz’s production company Red Granite Productions.

Low often talks about his experience in higher education in terms of networking. In fact, his entire account of his time at the University reads like the diary of the sceniest Wharton kid on campus, who probably lived in Domus and got involved with, like, 12 hedge funds. He took a semester off to start an investment fund with some well-connected friends. Before graduating, he was managing money for some of them. He talks a lot about the “key relationships” he formed as a student, particularly with people from prominent Middle Eastern families who are now themselves entwined in the 1MDB scandal. Talk about a Wharton cliché.

It almost seems as though the only difference between Trump and Low is where they’re from.

Penn rhetoric about international students is often centered around the ideal of the “global leader,” an inspiring, if vague archetype. And for many international students, going to an Ivy League school does open the doors to a sparkling career.

So where do the global leaders all go? Why don’t we ever talk about them? Engineering Dean Vijay Kumar and entrepreneur giant Anil Ambani are two who have made prominent alumni lists, but someone as infamous as Jho Low — with his lengthy profile in The New York Times and a notorious reputation back home — isn’t considered connected to the University in the same way.

It alienates him in a frustrating way that we wouldn’t apply to other American alumni. Connections to Penn are a big deal. People are even concerned with Bill Cosby’s honorary degree — and he didn’t even go here. It’s strange that names and association play such a significant part of the Ivy League identity, but they do. It’s also true that U.S. politics are sensationalized and fascinating to people outside the country, while the reverse isn’t as true.

So while we all follow the unbelievable rise of Trump and shake our heads remembering that he once paced down Locust Walk, Jho Low isn’t a name discussed on any Penn platform.

This week, Najib’s new attorney general cleared the prime minister of his charges, saying that the $700 million he was accused of taking was a personal donation from the Saudi royal family, and that most of this money has now been returned. It’s a weak statement against the torrent of questions and accusations that remain, but it means that the case is considered closed. The momentum from frenzied press coverage is fading. While Malaysians remain angry, pressure from the West wanes because none of it is really “connected” to us.

Once you know Low is from Wharton, the satire seems to write itself. Maybe the most ironic and stereotypical scandal that Low has been involved in is the funding for the blockbuster movie, “The Wolf of Wall Street.” The production company behind the film was none other than Red Granite Pictures, and it too has come under fire of accusations of money laundering. The kicker? You can’t even watch the movie in Malaysia.

While the spectacle of American politics unfolds for the world to see, Low and Najib’s antics are being forced under the rug and out of the international spotlight. Even if it’s happening far away amid many other global crises, we shouldn’t forget who Low is nor about his connection to Penn. Since we’re bowing our head in shame over Donald Trump, there’s no reason why Jho Low shouldn’t be condemned on campus as well.

Meerabelle Jesuthasan is a College freshman essentially from Singapore, studying English and Cognitive Science. Her email address is jesum@sas.upenn.edu. “You Speak English?” usually appears every other Monday.

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