Miranda Kerr hands over $8.1 million in jewellery to US investigators

Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr has handed over $8.1 million in jewellery to U.S. authorities, after the items -- gifted to her -- were said to have been bought using stolen government money.

The items include an 8.8 carat diamond pendant worth $3.8 million. Kerr handed them over to the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) on Friday.

The jewels was given to Kerr by Malaysian financier Jho Low, whom she dated for a year in 2014, said the WSJ, citing a source.

Kerr married Snapchat CEO, Evan Spiegel, a month ago.

The Malaysian, whose real name is Low Taek Jho, is currently being investigated for his involvement with a major corruption scandal. It's alleged that he siphoned huge sums from a government fund called 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which was originally created for the purpose of economic development.

More than $4.5 billion was stolen from the 1MDB fund, set up by current Malaysian prime minister, Najib Razak. Both Low and Najib have denied wrongdoing.

Jho Low has rubbed shoulders with many of Hollywood's celebrities Credit: Getty Images for Gabrielle's Angel Foundation

The latest incident with Kerr follows Leonardo DiCaprio, who last week surrendered a $3.2 million Picasso painting, and a $9 million Jean-Michel Basquiat collage -- both believed to be gifts from Low.

The rights to Hollywood film, The Wolf of Wall Street, has also been seized. The film was produced by Red Granite, a firm founded by Najib's stepson, Riza Aziz.

The DoJ is still seeking more than $1.7 billion in assets, including a luxury mega-yacht also said to be owned by Low.

"We simply will not allow the United States to be a place where corrupt individuals can expect to hide assets and lavishly spend money that should be used for the benefit of citizens of other nations," Kenneth Blanco, acting assistant attorney general of the Criminal Division, said earlier in a statement.