Key facts
- Businessman Artur Shehu is suspected of faking land deeds for a resort project in Albania.
- Shehu is also wanted in Albania for alleged money laundering for drug gangs.
- The land was sold to a company linked to Jared Kushner's project developers.
- Albanian prosecutors allege the land was acquired using forged documents and illegally obtained funds.
- No allegations of wrongdoing have been made against Kushner or the resort developers.
- Local residents are contesting Shehu's claim to the land in court.
A businessman, Artur Shehu, who sold land for a planned multi-billion-dollar resort in Albania backed by Jared Kushner, is suspected of faking land deeds and laundering drug money, according to case files reviewed by Reuters. Shehu denies all accusations.
Albanian prosecutors allege that Shehu and associates trafficked cocaine into Europe and laundered the proceeds by establishing a real estate empire, utilizing falsified land-ownership documents. Shehu's lawyer stated that his client is not a drug trafficker or a forger and that the allegations are untrue.
The case files indicate that prosecutors have formed reasonable suspicions that the assets were acquired through forged documents. However, the files make no allegations of wrongdoing against Kushner, Sazan Real Estate Development, Albania Land Development, or other investors. Reuters found no indication that investors were aware of any suspicions regarding Shehu when they purchased the land.
Local residents have been contesting Shehu's claim to the land in court for over a decade, presenting their own title deeds and tax records as proof of ownership. They plan to seek a court order to halt the resort project. The project also faces opposition due to environmental concerns.
The case files were prepared by SPAK, Albania's anti-corruption and organized crime agency. SPAK confirmed it was investigating the matter but declined to comment further. The documents state Shehu sold the land for approximately €110 million, with funds ordered frozen. SPAK alleges properties were transferred to obscure their origins and make them difficult for authorities to trace.