Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump's luxury resort project in Albania is facing scrutiny as prosecutors allege that land tied to the development may have been acquired using forged ownership documents. Albanian anti-corruption prosecutors are investigating Artur Shehu, a Miami-based businessman who sold a stretch of coastline for the planned multi-billion-dollar resort. They allege that Shehu and his associates laundered money linked to international drug trafficking and suspect the use of falsified property records.
Court files reviewed by Reuters indicate that Albania’s Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has stated there are 'reasonable suspicions' that assets related to the deal were obtained through fraudulent means. Shehu has denied these allegations, with his lawyer asserting that he is 'neither a drug trafficker nor a forger of property documents.'
Kushner and Ivanka Trump have not been accused of any wrongdoing, nor have any of the project’s investors. Reports suggest that investors were not aware of any issues regarding Shehu at the time of the land purchase. A spokesperson for Sazan Real Estate Development, the company backing the project, stated that they believe the land acquisitions were lawful.
The resort, planned along Albania’s Adriatic coastline, has faced opposition from environmental activists and local residents who argue that it threatens wetlands and wildlife habitats. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama has expressed support for the project, which continues to move forward despite legal and environmental challenges. The investigation by SPAK is ongoing, and no arrests or formal charges have been announced as of yet.