Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump are at the center of a controversy involving accusations of land grabbing and corruption as they push forward with a massive $1 billion resort project in Albania. The couple is accused of leveraging their connections from the Trump administration to seize land from local Albanian families and sideline competing developers.

According to The New York Times, Residents of the Zvernec region are accusing the Trump couple of unlawfully appropriating their ancestral land to develop a sprawling luxury resort on land historically farmed by local families. The land, which was seized following the fall of Communism in 1991, is claimed by Bledar

Alexandros Konomi, a local resident whose family has long tended it. Konomi, whose claims are backed by court records, describes the development as a blatant land grab, saying, “They are trying to take what rightfully belongs to us.”

In a further twist, Kushner is pursuing exclusive rights to develop Sazan Island, a strategically significant site previously used for Soviet military purposes. Albanian-American developer Evi Kokalari-Angelakis, who also bid on Sazan, claims her proposal was ignored in favor of Kushner’s, suggesting that political favoritism is at play. Kokalari-Angelakis’s claims were exacerbated by Ivanka Trump’s announcement of a deal to develop the island, intensifying suspicions of preferential treatment.

Albanian opposition figures are demanding answers, with Agron Shehaj, a member of parliament, accusing the Albanian government of a corrupt, opaque process favoring the Trump-connected investment.

“This reeks of a private deal orchestrated for political gain,” Shehaj charged.

Prime Minister Edi Rama and Kushner both deny any wrongdoing. Rama’s spokesperson defended the project as a boost to Albania’s tourism sector, claiming it signals a positive international endorsement. However, critics argue that the involvement of Kushner, whose investment firm is heavily backed by Saudi money, raises serious ethical concerns.

Kushner’s Affinity Partners, funded by significant Saudi Arabian investments, is driving the $1 billion development. Kushner, a former Trump senior advisor, has been promoting the project as a game-changer for Albanian tourism. Ivanka Trump has publicly hailed the initiative as a significant step forward for the country.

Real estate executive Asher Abehsera, managing the Sazan Island project, insists there’s no special treatment, although final terms are still under negotiation. He and Kushner maintain that they are committed to resolving any disputes transparently.

However, allegations of corruption and political manipulation loom large. The escalating controversy suggest a high-stakes scandal involving the misuse of political influence for personal gain.

As the project moves forward amidst accusations of corruption and land theft, the legitimacy of Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s investments in Albania remains under intense scrutiny.