Businessman faked deeds for Trump’s £1.2bn Albania resort, say prosecutors

The article reports that Albanian prosecutors have sought an arrest warrant for Artur Shehu, alleging he falsified deeds connected to the sale of a stretch of coastal land intended for a large tourism project linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. The land sale, completed in April, became the subject of public controversy in Albania amid mass protests.

Prosecutors say Shehu is suspected of laundering proceeds from drug trafficking and that “reasonable suspicions” exist that assets involved in the transactions were acquired using forged documents. The reporting adds that prosecutors contend their case files include accusations about money laundering tied to alleged trafficking of South American cocaine into European ports.

Shehu’s lawyer, Kujtim Cakrani, denies the allegations, saying the accusations about Shehu are untrue and that he is neither a drug trafficker nor a forger. The article says the case materials make no allegation of wrongdoing against Kushner, the resort developers, or other investors, and that Reuters found no indication investors were aware of suspicions about Shehu at the time of purchase.

Finally, the story situates the claims within ongoing local disputes over ownership of the land, including court cases involving residents who challenge Shehu’s title to the property. It also notes that while the resort plan has faced criticism over environmental impacts, the new legal allegations add another layer to the project’s controversy.