The Cyprus Unit for Combating Money Laundering (MOKAS) has issued a freezing order over a luxury villa in Ayia Napa belonging to Jho Taek Low – a fugitive Malaysian financier with a Cypriot citizenship.
The order over the €5 million worth villa was issued in coordination with the Legal Services of the Republic, Philenews reported on Wednesday.
Low – who was not wanted by any authorities at the time – acquired the Cyprus citizenship in September 2015.
A few weeks later Bank of Cyprus, tracking the traffic in Low’s accounts, notified Mokas and submitted a report in October 2015.
In turn, Mokas conducted an investigation, the findings of which were relayed to the interior ministry in early 2016.
Suspicious transactions from Low’s local bank accounts were flagged as early as October 2015.
Nicosia is to imminently revoke Cyprus passports from at least 26 suspect investors, including Low.
