Miami businessman accused of forging land documents sold to Jared Kushner

Miami Businessman Accused of Forging Land Documents Sold to Jared Kushner

Miami businessman accused of forging land – A Miami-based businessman, Artur Shehu, faces accusations in Albania of money laundering tied to drug trafficking. Reuters examined case files that suggest Shehu may have used forged land ownership records to facilitate the sale of a coastal area to a resort project linked to Jared Kushner, according to the documents.

Shehu’s legal representative, Kujtim Cakrani, has dismissed the allegations, stating that Albanian prosecutors issued an arrest warrant against his client for laundering drug-related funds. The files allege that Shehu and associates smuggled South American cocaine into European ports and concealed profits through a real estate network built on falsified property titles. However, Cakrani claimed the land had been in his family since the Ottoman era and that the transaction was lawful.

“The prosecution’s narrative is entirely incorrect,” Cakrani said, emphasizing that Shehu was not involved in drug trafficking or document forgery.

No Allegations Against Kushner or Resort Developers

Reuters found no evidence that Jared Kushner, Sazan Real Estate Development, or Albania Land Development—Shehu’s buyer—were implicated in the wrongdoing. The case files mention “reasonable suspicions” about the land’s origin but do not directly accuse the investors. A spokesperson for Sazan Real Estate Development stated the company believed the land acquisitions were lawful, though they did not address Shehu’s role.

Shehu sold the disputed coastline in April 2026 to Albania Land Development, a firm tied to the Kushner-backed resort. Prosecutors claim the €110 million sale used illegally obtained funds and forged records. The money was frozen in a notary’s account before reaching Shehu, according to the files.

Residents Challenge Ownership Claims

Residents of the village of Zvernec have contested Shehu’s land rights for over a decade. They recently submitted title deeds and tax records to argue they are the rightful owners. Their lawyer, Kostandin Beko, stated they plan to seek a court order to stop the resort’s development.

The investigation is managed by Albania’s Special Structure Against Corruption and Organised Crime (SPAK), an independent agency formed in 2019. A 200-page case file, not yet released, was dated June 12, 2026—the day SPAK announced arrest warrants for 20 individuals in a narcotics and money laundering probe. The agency has not confirmed if any suspects were detained or charged.

SPAK’s report states that Shehu and his associates “created false property titles or artificially expanded land parcels” to conceal the origin of the funds. Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department did not comment on whether Albanian authorities sought Shehu’s location in Miami.