Albania Probes Land Seller in Kushner-Linked Resort Deal, Freezing $127 Million
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jul 2
Albania Probes Land Seller in Kushner-Linked Resort Deal, Freezing $127 Million
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jul 2
Summary
June 10 court filings show Albanian prosecutors are investigating Artur Shehu — a Miami-based dual U.S.-Albanian citizen — for alleged drug trafficking and money laundering after he sold land tied to a Kushner-backed resort project.
SPAK had already announced 15 arrest warrants in an international trafficking and laundering case, and court records cited by CBS say investigators also see signs Shehu falsified financial documents tied to other real-estate and construction projects.
A court order reviewed by OCCRP froze more than $127 million from land sales between Shehu and Albania Land Development, while prosecutors are separately examining whether the Zvërnec land was acquired fraudulently.
The project has triggered more than a month of protests in Tirana, with activists saying the planned luxury complex threatens a protected coastal area and reflects wider corruption among Albania's ruling elite.
SPAK told CBS its probe does not concern any company associated with Jared Kushner, even as residents continue challenging Shehu's right to sell the disputed land.
The luxury resort project in Albania faces a complex political and legal situation, mainly due to ongoing land ownership disputes. Artur Shehu’s claim to the land has been challenged by Zvërnec residents, who assert their own rights and have kept the legal battle active and unresolved. This persistent conflict highlights the project’s unstable foundation and the significant role of local opposition. The unresolved legal challenges involving Shehu and the residents are central to the project’s current difficulties, shaping its political context and raising questions about its future development.