Dubious individuals are collaborating with relatives of the U.S. president.
Albania's anti-corruption prosecutor has launched an investigation into a luxury resort project in a protected area in the Bay of Vlorë in the Adriatic, local media report. The project, which is estimated to cost $1.4 billion, was to be funded by Affinity Partners, a company owned by American businessman Jared Kushner — the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The investigation focuses on the methods of acquiring the land on which the project is planned and changes to its protected status in 2024 — the same year Kushner's company announced its planned investments.
The resort is intended to be built in the natural area of Zvërnec, known for its biodiversity. It is home to flamingos, sea turtles, and seals. The chosen site for development is Sazan Island, which locals have already dubbed the 'Trump Island.'
As RTVI.US reported, Sazan previously housed a Soviet military base, but its beaches were opened to tourists in 2017. It was expected that the crumbling military buildings and 3,600 abandoned bunkers would become part of the upscale project. It was also reported that the area planned for the resort was littered with signs depicting skulls and bones warning of mines, and visitors were advised not to stray from marked paths due to the risk of encountering unexploded ordnance.
Since late May, environmental activists have begun protests after developers erected fences at the proposed resort site. Last Saturday, demonstrations turned violent: protesters and security guards threw stones at each other, and tear gas was used. One protester was brutally beaten and dragged inside the fenced area.
The next day, thousands of citizens took to the streets in the Albanian capital Tirana, demanding accountability from all involved parties and politicians who signed off on construction permits. Albanian authorities eventually revoked licenses from two private security companies, one guard was arrested, and the local police chief was dismissed. Approximately 15 protesters also faced charges, according to Politico.
Independent investigations revealed that the resort project is actually backed by 'a network of dubious individuals and companies,' writes the Albanian publication Reporter. This includes:
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Arthur Shehu, a businessman residing in the U.S., who is accused of ties to the Italian mafia;
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Feriara Ndreu, the daughter of Pellumb Petritaj, a former lawyer for the Shehu family, who has been involved in several criminal cases and has a criminal record. He is currently under investigation for document forgery that allowed the Shehu family to acquire extensive real estate along the Albanian coast;
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Alauddin Malaj, the former chairman of the Tirana Appeals Court, who resigned following an internal investigation. He was found to have €1.7 million in undeclared income and was considered one of the richest judges in Albania;
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Ferdinant, a company owned by businessman Bujar Nasufi, who was killed under unclear circumstances in early 2025.
His murder is believed to be linked to a property dispute in Tirana. The company holds 94,500 square meters of real estate, although it has been listed as in liquidation since 2009;
- Musa Kastrioti — the son of Shefket Kastrioti, one of the largest Albanian oligarchs. He is the owner of the Kastrati Group conglomerate, which controls significant shares in several strategic sectors, from the fuel market and insurance to exclusive management of Tirana International Airport. Kastrati Group is accused of favoritism from the government, and some of its projects are under investigation.
As Reporter writes, the resort is being developed by Zvërnec South Adriatic Development, registered offshore as a trust under Dutch Trust Management BV in the Netherlands. It is owned by a chain of shell companies, and its real beneficiaries are unknown.
One of the companies in this offshore chain, Blue Industries Investment Holding BV, is owned by five anonymous individuals from Albania. Reporter notes that the law does not allow for their names to be disclosed, as none of them owns more than 25% of the shares. Within eight months of its establishment, the company received two construction permits from the National Council for Land and Water Resources.
Musa Kastrioti attended meetings with Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump when they visited Albania in early 2026. The Prime Minister of the Balkan country, Edi Rama, confirmed in April that the government is continuing negotiations with Trump’s son-in-law regarding the construction of 10,000 hotel rooms. However, on Monday, while addressing parliamentarians, he denied that the resort encroaches on protected lands. According to him, a final proposal has not yet been presented, and the environmental assessment is not complete. The government has previously been accused of favoritism in granting permits for the project as an attempt to gain preferences from the Trump administration.
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