They said he spent lavishly on celebrities, alcohol and gambling, at one point losing US$2 million (RM8.27 million now) at a casino in “10 minutes”.
In an interview with the New York Post on Saturday, authors of the “Billion Dollar Whale”, reporters Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, gave a sneak review of the book ahead of its US release tomorrow.
The book is already available in Malaysian bookstores.
In the Post’s article, Wright and Hope alleged Low syphoned US$5 billion from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) into his personal accounts.
The authors claimed Low and his entourage spent US$85 million in gambling in Las Vegas, renting superyachts, on alcohol and paying Playboy playmates to hang out with him over a period of eight months.
Low had also spent two million euros (RM9.65 million now) in champagne at a party in the French Riviera once, in what was called a “literal competition” of wealth with American real estate magnate Winston Fisher.
Wright and Hope also spoke about Low’s undying love for Paris Hilton. They claimed for Hilton’s birthday, Low gave her a Cartier watch and gave her US$250,000 worth of gambling chips at Las Vegas.
They also said Low lost US$2 million at a baccarat table in 10 minutes and left “without breaking a sweat”.
In a separate interview, Wright and Hope told New York Post’s sister site, Page Six, that Low had given Birkin bags to American model and actress Kate Upton.
While Low’s gifts to Upton were not surprising, he had given lavish gifts to actor and friend Leonardo DiCaprio and his once girlfriend model, Miranda Kerr.
While DiCaprio and Kerr had surrendered their gifts to the US Department of Justice, which is conducting a civil forfeiture claim on items bought by Low, Upton was allowed to keep the Birkin bags he gave her, the authors told Page Six.
The authors told the Post that Low had denied committing crimes and said all his transactions were legal.
Low is believed to be living in China.
The authors think Low might be negotiating with the Malaysian government for a deal through a “back channel” to let him go while he surrenders some of his riches, in exchange for an exile.
Low, through his lawyers, had denounced the book, calling it “guilt by lifestyle and trial by media at its worst”.
Adding that “that sort of tale doesn’t sell books or get the authors a movie deal”, the statement claimed “Billion Dollar Whale” had been written with “allegations disguised as fact and gossip passed off as legitimate reporting”.