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Nicky Liow is a businessman and the founder of Winner Dynasty Group.
He has also been the subject of several high-profile police investigations and court proceedings over the years.
According to Harian Metro, Liow, whose full name is Liow Soon Hee, was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) in 2022 on 26 money laundering charges involving more than RM36 million after the prosecution withdrew the charges.
His lawyer, Datuk Rajpal Singh, said the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) decided not to pursue the prosecution after accepting Liow's representation.
Rajpal also said that Liow had settled RM400,000 in outstanding taxes with the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), resolving separate charges over the incorrect submission of tax returns under the Income Tax Act.
"We sent a representation letter to the A-GC and they accepted it. He was released on 15 June 2023," Rajpal said when contacted on Wednesday, 29 July.
Liow had been charged in absentia while he was a fugitive. He faced 26 money laundering charges for allegedly possessing funds believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities between 2016 and 2021.
In 2022, 14 individuals linked to Liow, including his two brothers, were acquitted and discharged.
But who is Nicky Liow?
Here are eight things you need to know about his past controversies:
1. Liow faced charges over an alleged assault involving three RELA officers and was acquitted
Liew first made headlines in 2017 after he was accused of assaulting three RELA personnel in Ampang.
The incident took place near Kau Ong Yah Temple, where the three RELA volunteers had asked him to move his Toyota Vellfire, which was reportedly obstructing traffic.
Liow allegedly assaulted the volunteers, who were aged 19, 21, and 27 at the time. The victims reportedly suffered injuries including bruises, facial swelling, body injuries, and blows to the back of the head.
The three volunteers later lodged police reports, prompting an investigation into allegations of voluntarily causing hurt and obstructing public servants from carrying out their duties under Sections 324 and 186 of the Penal Code.
Police also said Liow tested positive for drugs and had previous drug-related records.
He later turned up at the Ampang Jaya district police headquarters in a Bentley and was remanded for four days.
NST reported that Liow allegedly offered each of the three RELA officers RM10,000 to withdraw the case, but they initially rejected the offer.
However, in September 2018, one of the RELA officers withdrew his police report. The following year, in May 2019, the Ampang Magistrate's Court acquitted and discharged Liow after the remaining two officers agreed to settle the matter, reported FMT.
2. Liow was sought by police for more than a year after businesses linked to him were raided
In March 2021, police launched Ops Pelican 3.0 after uncovering a syndicate allegedly linked to Liow.
Authorities raided around 70 locations in the Klang Valley and detained 68 individuals. Police said operations allegedly linked to Liow were based in 48 apartment units at SetiaWalk, Puchong.
He allegedly left shortly before the raids, purportedly carrying several bags believed to contain millions of ringgit. Police also seized luxury cars, cash, and other valuables as part of the investigation.
Liow remained wanted for more than a year before surrendering at Bukit Aman on 11 April 2022. The following day, he was charged with 26 counts of money laundering involving RM36 million and pleaded not guilty.
3. Police alleged that information about the operation was leaked from within enforcement agencies
Then inspector-general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador claimed that information about the police operation had been leaked from within the force.
The leak allegedly allowed Liow to move large sums of money and leave before the raids. Police also claimed a former deputy public prosecutor had acted as an intermediary between Liow and enforcement personnel.
At the time, 34 police and enforcement personnel were suspected of having links to the alleged syndicate. Several officers were subsequently detained for investigation.
4. Police examined alleged links to international figures
Police also examined Liow's alleged links to several international figures who had been associated with criminal investigations or convictions.
He was reportedly linked to Chinese businessman Zhang Jian, who had previously been associated with get-rich-quick schemes. Liow was also reported to have connections with Wan Kuok-koi, better known as "Broken Tooth", a convicted former Macau triad leader.
Wan was later linked by authorities to Tse Chi Lop, who was described as a major figure in the international drug trade.
However, associations with these individuals do not by themselves establish that Liow was involved in any crimes attributed to them.
During the height of the controversy in 2021, an old photo of Liow standing beside former IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar resurfaced online, prompting public speculation about whether he had links to the police force.
Learn more about the controversy here.
5. Pahang palace revoked his Datuk Seri title
In April 2021, the Pahang palace revoked Liow's Darjah Sri Sultan Ahmad Shah Pahang (SSAP) award, which carried the honorific title "Datuk Seri".
The palace also revoked his brother's Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang award, which carried the title "Datuk".
The revocations took effect on 21 April 2021. The Pahang state secretary said both men were required to return their awards and were no longer permitted to use the titles.
Liow and his brother had reportedly received the honours in 2015.
Learn more about the title revocation here.
6. He was photographed with the prime minister and later confirmed attending the event
Liow's name came under public attention again earlier this week after a photograph circulated online showing him standing beside Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at a PKR-related fundraising event.
Liow was seen wearing an Angkatan Muda Keadilan (AMK) shirt, prompting questions about his attendance and whether he had become a PKR member.
At a press conference in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, Liow confirmed that he was the person in the photograph.
His lawyer, Rajpal Singh, said Liow attended the event through an open invitation, made a contribution to a donation box, and was given the AMK shirt, which he wore without expecting it to attract public attention, reported KiniTV.
PKR secretary-general Datuk Dr Fuziah Salleh later confirmed that Liow was not a party member and had never applied to join PKR.
7. Liow seeks an apology from Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung
Nicky Liow and his lawyer, Rajpal Singh, during a recent press conference.
Image via FMTThe photograph also drew comments from Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung, who questioned whether PKR had accepted Liow as a member and why he appeared to have been allowed to take a photograph with Anwar, reported FMT.
Liow has since called on Lee to apologise over the remarks.
Lee's comments came amid public questions surrounding Liow's appearance at the event, while Liow's legal team maintained that he only attended as a guest and was not a PKR member.
8. Liow's lawyer says he has been cleared of past cases
At the press conference, Rajpal argued that none of Liow's past cases had resulted in a conviction.
He said Liow was acquitted in the case involving the three RELA officers. He also said Liow was later cleared of the organised crime charges under Section 130V of the Penal Code after the prosecution accepted his representation.
On the 26 money laundering charges, Rajpal said that they did not prove Liow was involved in the Macau Scam or had cheated anyone.
Rajpal also revealed that Liow had settled RM400,000 in outstanding taxes with LHDN, resolving separate charges over the incorrect submission of tax returns under the Income Tax Act.
Rajpal also said Liow was no longer a fugitive, was not wanted by the authorities, and had no pending criminal cases.
He urged the media and public to stop repeating what he described as defamatory allegations and allow Liow to continue his life as an ordinary Malaysian, reported KiniTV.
