Billion Dollar Whale

By: Bradley Hope, Tom Wright

Narrated by: Will Collyer

Named a Best Book of 2018 by the Financial Times and Fortune, this "thrilling" (Bill Gates) New York Times best seller exposes how a "modern Gatsby" swindled over $5 billion with the aid of Goldman Sachs in "the heist of the century" (Axios).

Now a number-one international best seller, Billion Dollar Whale is "an epic tale of white-collar crime on a global scale" (Publishers Weekly), revealing how a young social climber from Malaysia pulled off one of the biggest heists in history.

In 2009, a chubby, mild-mannered graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business named Jho Low set in motion a fraud of unprecedented gall and magnitude—one that would come to symbolize the next great threat to the global financial system. Over a decade, Low, with the aid of Goldman Sachs and others, siphoned billions of dollars from an investment fund—right under the nose of global financial industry watchdogs. Low used the money to finance elections, purchase luxury real estate, throw champagne-drenched parties, and even to finance Hollywood films like The Wolf of Wall Street.

By early 2019, with his yacht and private jet reportedly seized by authorities and facing criminal charges in Malaysia and in the United States, Low had become an international fugitive, even as the US Department of Justice continued its investigation. Billion Dollar Whale has joined the ranks of Liar's Poker, Den of Thieves, and Bad Blood as a classic harrowing parable of hubris and greed in the financial world.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Bradley Hope and Tom Wright (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

A Fortune magazine Best Book of 2018

A Financial Times Best Book of 2018

"As Bad Blood is to biotech, Billion Dollar Whale is to international finance... a wonderful read... Thrilling."—Bill Gates

"What a blast to read! A true life thriller that reads like a Hollywood movie, Billion Dollar Whale traces the exploits of the most mercurial, mysterious big player in history. Jho Low is Gatsby with twice the bank account and ten times the ambition, and the stories surrounding his exploits leap right off the page!"—Ben Mezrich, New York Times bestselling author of The Accidental Billionaires and Bringing Down The House

"If you like global intrigue, financial crime, wealth porn, and absurdity, Billion Dollar Whale, by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope, is for you.... It almost seems made up. Still, anyone who has followed the news out of Malaysia will know that the story is all too real."—The New Yorker

Excellent Portrayal of Financial Fraud

The detail of the fraudulent scheme of this book is a good challenge and brain workout to follow, even for Masters-level finance and economics majors. The rich "follow the money" technique used by these writers makes the book a page turner. One caveat, however, is that the current day behavior of the Trumps and Kushners jump out of every chapter one way or another. I found the book outstanding because of these two levels of recognizable insight. It also fully describes the decadence and shallowness of some of the Hollywood set and political power brokers. I would have given the story a five, except I hoped for more (much more) justice being meted out.

A really great bok

This is one of these crazy con man stories that I absorb wholeheartedly. The writer has done a fine job of including the details of both individuals and institutions to make the story come alive.

Compelling, interesting story that struggles with the complexity of the details.

As a study of sheer audacity of the main character, this book is worth listening to. I suggest you listen as a 3 part series with Markopolos’ “No One Would Listen” and Carreyrou’s “Bad Blood” to fully capture the 21st century megalomaniac capable of stealing $ billions in plain sight.

proof of greed and fraud in global finance

This is a clear commentary on level of greed and fraud in global banking and financial system. Perpetrators escape justice by using money to buy their way out of trouble, and bankers and officials who profited turned a blind eye to what was obvious right in front of them. So far.. no one has suffered any consequences whatsoever.

A good book written by two Democrats

It s a good book, but the two authors do everything possible to try to infer a connection between crooks and Trump, it’s awkward. They try to suggesting a connection due to the fact one of the crooks stayed at a Trump Hotel. Lol. Unfortunately for the authors narrative, no connection exists between Trump and the crooks. A sad truth for the authors. However there was a meaning connection between the crooks and Barry Obama, something the authors brush aside. What’s hilarious about the quick dismissal is Obama was closely connected with the crooks, in fact golfing buddies, and his friendship likely helped the crooks pull of the steal. However the authors could never hold Obama to account for his actions, due to their affection for him. On that note, I hope these authors can give up mud slinging in their future books, or at least focus scrutinizing the US leader that was actually connected to the criminality.

It’s a great story non the less.

ripping story, pitty about the outcome.

Sadly this isn't the first time and certainly will not be the last. Hopefully one or two people learn from this and it prevents such actions in some shape or form. Great read - just buy and listen!

Excellent research

Excellent research with lots of information that I personally was a little (though unwittingly) close to.

In the second half the tales of excess got a little boring. From a point of view of cataloging then it makes sense but from the reader/listeners point of few it was quite repetitive.

great story

this was a very good story I enjoyed the story telling the process slow it a little in the middle and the end was a little bit of a letdown but it was a good listen

Money laundering expose

Wow. I have roots in Malaysia and finance. This true story is unmissable. Big credit to the journalists

Jaw Dropping

What an incredible story that went under the nose of many! Captivated by the first words!