Exclusive | $6M NYC condo to be forfeited by court order in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB sovereign wealth fraud

Nypost · May 27, 2026 · 996 words · By Jennifer Gould

Asset Forfeiture Financial Crime and Corruption High-Society Excess

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What to know about Asset Forfeiture

$6M NYC condo to be forfeited by court order in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB sovereign wealth fraud See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 24

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center50%

Right50%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

$6M NYC condo to be forfeited by court order in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB sovereign wealth fraud See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on GoogleThe US government has obtained a judge’s order for the forfeiture of a $6 million luxury condo in the Flatiron district bought with money stolen from 1MDB, a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund at the center of one of the largest…

Common ground

The second-floor condo is at 10 Madison Square West, overlooking Madison Square Park.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Exaggeration / Hyperbole: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Asset Forfeiture story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Low has forfeited more than $1 billion worth of assets bought with 1MDB cash?
How does this story connect Asset Forfeiture with Financial Crime and Corruption over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/27/real-estate/6m-nyc-condo-to-be-forfeited-in-the-1m…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Exaggeration / Hyperbole 70% confidence

Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 24 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 14

verified Verified By Reference 3

check_circle Corroborated 3

info Single Source 2

help Insufficient Evidence 2

schedule

Claim 1: “Low has forfeited more than $1 billion worth of assets bought with 1MDB cash.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 2: “The three-bedroom, 3.5-bath condo in question is 2,365 square feet and comes with a 254-square-foot patio.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence consists of irrelevant real estate listings for Tacoma, WA. No evidence confirms the square footage or layout of the condo at 10 Madison Square West.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — View photos of the 83 condos and apartments listed for sale in Tacoma WA. Find the perfect building to live in by filtering to your preferences.
https://www.zillow.com/tacoma-wa/condos/2_p/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Find condos, lofts & luxury condominiums for sale in Tacoma, WA. Tour the newest condos & make offers with the help of local Redfin real estate agents.
https://www.redfin.com/city/17887/WA/Tacoma/condos

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 83 Condos For Sale in Tacoma, WA. Browse photos, see new properties, get open house info, and research neighborhoods on Trulia.
https://www.trulia.com/for_sale/Tacoma,WA/CONDO_type/

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Claim 3: “Stolen 1MDB funds were also used to... buy gifts for celebrities, like diamonds for Miranda Kerr — as well as a Picasso, a Basquiat and Marlon Brando’s stolen Oscar for Leonardo DiCaprio and a Warhol for Swizz Beatz”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 4: “the US government says Low orchestrated a $4.5 billion theft from 1MDB, starting in 2009”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results to confirm the specific $4.5 billion figure or the 2009 start date mentioned by the US government.

info

Claim 5: “the apartment was forfeited without an admission of guilt or wrongdoing by Tan, according to the Consent of Judgment Forfeiture filed on May 26th”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence contains general definitions of forfeiture from Wikipedia and Merriam-Webster, but does not mention the specific Consent of Judgment Forfeiture filed on May 26th regarding Tan.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Forfeiture is broadly defined as the loss of property for failing to obey the law, and that property is generally lost to the state. A person may have a vested interest in property to be forfeit in tw…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forfeiture_(law)

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — May 29, 2026 · The meaning of FORFEITURE is the act of forfeiting : the loss of property or money because of a breach of a legal obligation. How to use forfeiture in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forfeiture

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. Department of Justice forfeiture home page provides access to forfeiture information.
https://www.forfeiture.gov/

schedule

Claim 6: “former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak... has been jailed since 2022.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 7: “The second-floor condo is at 10 Madison Square West, overlooking Madison Square Park.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant search results about Roblox, Madison Wisconsin, and general Madison Square Garden information. No evidence confirms the specific floor or address of the forfeited condo.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (also known as MSG Sports) is an American sports holding company based in New York City. MSG Sports manages professional sports teams. These include the National Bas…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_Square_Garden_Sports

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Madison Square is a public square formed by the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The square was named for Founding Father James Madis…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_Square_and_Madison_Squ…

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden, formerly the Felt Forum, Paramount Theater, Hulu Theater, WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, and The Theater at Madison Square Garden, is a theater lo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Theater_at_Madison_Square_…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 8: “DOJ has forfeited 17 luxury residences including 10 Madison Square West as well as others in New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 9: “Tan once worked as a personal assistant to Taek Jho Low”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources (Malay Mail and another web search result) explicitly state that May Ling Catherine Tan was a personal assistant to Jho Low.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — 2. What Are The Roles Of A Personal Assistant? The interviewer wants to assess if you know the roles you will play for the company. Share the roles you expect to play while keeping them in line with t…
https://www.projectpractical.com/personal-assistant-intervie…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — According to the DOJ, the condominium unit was allegedly bought for the benefit of May Ling Catherine Tan, described as a personal assistant to fugitive financier Low Taek Jho — better known as Jho Lo…
https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/05/28/us-doj-mo…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — According to the DOJ, the luxury condominium was bought for the benefit of May Ling Catherine Tan, a personal assistant for Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low.
https://www.nst.com.my/business/corporate/2026/05/1450142/us…

schedule

Claim 10: “Pras Michel reported to prison to begin a 14-year sentence for his role in funneling some of the foreign loot into the 2012 US presidential election and ordered to forfeit $64 million of stolen loot”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 11: “It was bought in July 2017 for $5.6 million via an anonymous shell company for the benefit of May Ling Catherine Tan”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant real estate listings for Tacoma, WA, and general information about Madison Square Garden. No evidence confirms the purchase date, price, or the shell company for May Ling Catherine Tan.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madison_Square_Garden

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 12: “Two ex-Goldman Sachs bankers, including... Tim Leissner, are currently serving jail sentences for their role in the crime.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 13: “Beatz — aka Kassem Dean — is also currently being sued by the liquidators of two defunct shell companies tied to 1MDB in US District Court for the Southern District of New York... seeking to recover $7.3 million”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 14: “Low also agreed to liquidate and return to Malaysia investmets in a residential property under construction in Singapore”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 15: “Goldman Sachs has agreed to pay $7.3 billion in global fines and reparations”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 16: “Trial Attorney Barbara Levy of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) is prosecuting the civil forfeiture case”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found after searching for Trial Attorney Barbara Levy in relation to this case.

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Claim 17: “10 Madison Square West was built in 1915 by William Van Alen”

CORROBORATED

Three independent sources (Douglas Elliman, Flatiron NoMad Partnership, and a real estate review site) confirm that 10 Madison Square West was designed/built in 1915 by William Van Alen.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Conceived in 1915 by William Van Alen of New Yorks legendary Chrysler Building fame, Ten Madison Square Wests iconic architecture and classic brick and ...
https://www.ellimanpm.com/buildings/10_Madison_Square_West

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Jan 14, 2015 ... ... built in 1915 ... Then dubbed “Toy Building North,” the Albemarle is now known as 10 Madison Square West and is undergoing a transformation into ...
https://flatironnomad.nyc/history/william-van-alen/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The building at 10 Madison Square West has quite the pedigree. The brick and limestone structure was designed in 1915 by William Van Alen, the architect of the ...
https://www.homes.com/building/10-madison-sq-w-new-york-ny/b…

schedule

Claim 18: “In December, Najib was sentenced to an additional 15 years in jail when his six-year jail term ends, charged with abuse of power and money laundering, and fined $2.8 billion.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 19: “The US government has obtained a judge’s order for the forfeiture of a $6 million luxury condo in the Flatiron district bought with money stolen from 1MDB”

CORROBORATED

Two independent news reports (New York Post and another web source) confirm the US government obtained a judge's order for the forfeiture of a $6 million luxury condo in the Flatiron district bought with 1MDB funds.

menu_book

wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Flatiron Building (originally the Fuller Building) is a 22-story, 285-foot-tall (86.9 m) steel-framed triangular building at 175 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District neighborhood of Manhattan in …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Flatiron District is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan of New York City, named for the Flatiron Building at 23rd Street, Broadway and Fifth Avenue. Generally, the Flatiron District is bou…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_District

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Flatiron School is an educational organization founded in 2012 by Adam Enbar and Avi Flombaum. The organization is based in New York City and teaches software engineering, computer programming, data s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_School

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 20: “Low also agreed in 2024 to liquidate and return to Malaysia a luxury property in Hong Kong bought with funds traced to the 1MDB theft.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 21: “Stolen 1MDB funds were also used to produce films including “The Wolf of Wall Street””

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 22: “Goldman Sachs [reached] a recent $500 million settlement with its shareholders earlier this month for misleading them about its work with 1MDB.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

verified

Claim 23: “The government is also seizing at least $1.77 million in rental proceeds earned from the property from February 2018 to December 2025”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence consists of general articles about rental income in Australia and the UK, and general information about Madison Square Garden. No evidence confirms the seizure of $1.77 million in rental proceeds for the specific property.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 24: “He is still wanted in Malaysia and the US, where he is charged with conspiring to launder billions of dollars, for conspiring to bribe foreign officials and for using some of the stolen money for illegal lobbying and US political campaign donation schemes.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.