BANGKOK: Malaysian fugitive businessman Teow Wooi Huat (pic) is expected to be deported to China before the end of this month, says Thai assistant national police chief Pol Lt-Gen Surachate Hakparn.
Although Malaysian police had requested Teow’s repatriation, Surachate said: “There is no arrest warrant issued against Teow in Malaysia.”
He said Thai police had received an extradition request from the Chinese government.
“We have been working on (Teow’s extradition) for more than a month. We have forwarded the request to the Attorney General. Once it is completed, he will be deported to China before the end of this year,” he told Bernama.
The Penang-born entrepreneur, 55, dubbed as Jho Low 2, is on the Interpol Red Notice list for questioning.
On July 22, Teow, known as Tedy, who is the MBI Group founder, was under Thai Immigration custody after his visa was revoked, and since then, has been awaiting deportation.
Malaysia and China are after Teow. It is learnt that China is the first country to request Teow’s extradition.
Beijing police also reportedly wanted him for questioning following a suit filed by about 400 investors from China to recover investments worth some RM100mil.
On July 25, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) said it was applying for Teow to be repatriated to Malaysia to assist in investigations under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Teow had been making headlines in the kingdom. In 2011, he was sentenced to a day’s jail and fined RM160,000 on two counts of cheating more than RM1mil in an investment scheme – Island Red Café.
In 2017, Malaysian authorities froze 91 bank accounts with RM177mil linked to MBI International.
In 2019, hundreds of Chinese nationals staged a peaceful protest outside the Chinese Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, claiming that they had been cheated by an online pyramid scheme operated by MBI.
Last year, police said Teow and his two sons were involved in a RM336mil Macau scam.
However, police believed Teow had fled the country and was hiding in southern Thailand.
