Two businessmen indicted in corruption case involving former PM and family
Businessmen Xhimi Begeja and Fatmir Bektashi have been indicted by the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK). They are charged with their involvement in a scandal related to the privatization and subsequent development of the former ‘Partizani’ sports complex into a residential area.
Why is this significant
The indictments of Begeja and Bektashi are part of a larger investigation that implicates Sali Berisha and his son-in-law Jamarbër Malltezi, who were indicted on Wednesday.
Context
According to the indictment by SPAK the Partizani complex, originally a military-owned property belonging to one of Tirana and Albania’s most popular and important sports team, spanning 26,000 square meters in one of the most lucrative areas of the capital, was privatized and eventually developed into a luxury residential area with 19 towers through allegedly corrupt practices and the decisions of the then Prime Minister Sali Berisha. Charges against Begeja include money laundering, while Bektashi faces charges of active corruption and money laundering. The prosecution claims that the accused manipulated property and construction regulations to illegally gain €5.4 million.
In 2018, Malltezi and Begeja gained majority control of Homeplan Ltd., the company managing the tower project, under dubious circumstances, including significantly undervalued share transactions facilitated by Bektashi. This allowed them to oversee a project valued at over $20 million, despite the company’s nominal capital being only 100,000 Albanian lek or $100.
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