KUALA LUMPUR (July 6): A London-based law firm received US$1.3 million (RM5.56 million) for its work on a public relations campaign for fugitive businessman Jho Low between January 2019 and March 2020, The Guardian newspaper reported.

The UK daily said the firm, Schillings, has disclosed that its work included helping to prepare press releases and maintain a website for Low. The website describes Low as “a global philanthropist, investor, and entrepreneur” who believes “he will be vindicated once all the relevant evidence has been presented in a fair and legitimate court of law”.

The Guardian report noted that Low, over the past two years, had embarked on a multimillion-dollar public relations offensive and hired an army of lawyers and PR advisers.

“Disclosures submitted to the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (Fara) show Schillings has supported this effort, providing ‘legal and consulting advice and research in support of the work’ of PR advisers,” the report said.

Under the Fara rules, representatives of foreign individuals, companies or governments are required to file reports about their lobbying and influence activities and how much they are paid.

Schillings’ work for Low attracted criticism in 2018, after it had sent threatening letters to booksellers aimed at blocking the distribution of a book by two Wall Street Journal reporters that described Low’s alleged involvement in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) conspiracy, the report said.

Meanwhile, The Guardian also reported disclosures also show a London-based PR and crisis management agency, the PHA Group, had received almost £275,000 (RM1.47 million) since 2018 for representing Low.

It was stated both Schilling and PHA were paid via Kobre & Kim, a US law firm acting for Low.

When contacted by The Guardian, a lawyer for Schillings said both the law firm and PHA had complied with all applicable laws and regulations and had “nothing further to add” to the contents of the Fara filings.

Interestingly, Schillings was also hired by Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex of UK, to launch legal proceedings against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday newspaper, over the publication of a letter she wrote to her father.

In recent years, Schillings has begun offering its wealthy clients, the services of intelligence professionals, behavioural psychologists and former military personnel, alongside its lawyers. It had posted revenues of £16 million (RM85.6 million) in 2019.