Albanian prosecutors are examining alleged deed forgeries linked to a Kushner-affiliated resort, as public demonstrations against the project grow.
Published On 11 Jul 2026
Albania’s anti-corruption prosecution service is investigating whether property titles for a protected coastal area designated for a resort backed by Jared Kushner were forged, according to case files reviewed by Reuters. The probe introduces further legal uncertainty to a development already facing months of public protests.
The files, assembled by the Special Structure Against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK), identify Artur Shehu, a Miami-based businessman, as the seller who transferred the land to Albania Land Development—the entity behind the Kushner-linked scheme—in April.
Prosecutors allege that Shehu and his associates channeled proceeds from cocaine trafficking into Albanian real estate, using falsified titles to conceal the funds’ origin. Approximately 110 million euros ($126 million) connected to the sale have been frozen in a notary’s account.
Shehu’s attorney, Kujtim Cakrani, has firmly denied the accusations. “Nothing that has been alleged regarding Mr Artur Shehu’s character is true,” he told Reuters, stating that his client is neither a drug trafficker nor a forger and that he legally sold land held by his family since Ottoman times.
Cakrani added that Shehu remains unfazed by the arrest warrant, noting a widespread assumption in Albania that prosecutors respond to political and business pressures. He said Shehu fled to the United States in 1998, securing asylum after gang violence claimed the lives of his brother and uncle.
The 200-page SPAK dossier, previously undisclosed, was released on the same day the agency announced separate arrest warrants for 20 individuals accused of narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
Reuters uncovered no evidence that Kushner, Sazan Real Estate Development, or other resort backers were aware of any suspicions about Shehu at the time of the land transfer.
The revelations emerge amid ongoing unrest over the project, which occupies wetlands and beaches along Albania’s southern coast that serve as habitat for sea turtles and flamingos. The latter bird has become a symbol of the self-styled “Flamingo Revolution” opposing the resort and broader allegations of government corruption.
Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, have said the resort concept arose after they viewed the coastline from a yacht. Kushner presented renderings of hotels, villas, and marinas on social media in 2024.
Nightly demonstrations that began in May initially targeted the development but have expanded into a broader campaign demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama over corruption claims.
Last week’s crackdown saw riot police use tear gas and water cannon on protesters outside parliament, leaving 15 officers injured and resulting in 25 arrests. A Tirana court on Sunday released 19 of those detained, placing two under house arrest and requiring a dozen others to periodically check in with judicial police.
“This is a revolution against the big guys who want to use Albania like a playground for the rich,” said Entela Koja, a participant in the protests.
Residents near the site have independently pursued a decade-long legal challenge to Shehu’s ownership claim, submitting title deeds and tax records that they argue confirm their rightful ownership.
“I told them it would not be easy for them to take this land and enjoy someone else’s land and property. What is happening in this country is madness,” Nikolin Markpalaj, one of the local landowners, told Al Jazeera.
Rama’s government has characterized the protests as maneuvers by political opponents and maintains that the project adheres to Albanian and European Union law.
