Kastrati Group
Ownership as documented
Shefqet Kastrati (owner). Role in Zvernec undetermined.
Acquired airport concession (2020)
Evidence: Shqiptarja: Kastrati Group bought the concession for EUR 71m in December 2020.
- Ownership→Albanian Highway Concession shpk (Albanian Highway Concession LLC)Source label: Under investigation
50% partner (company's own statement)
Evidence: kastrati.al states Kastrati Group JSC in 50% partnership established the concession company in 2016; Exit.al reports a 60% stake acquired with Salillari in 2017; the other 50% holder is not identified.
Conflicting records. The research disagrees; every version is shown and none has been chosen as correct.
- Type
- Private Albanian conglomerate (fuel, insurance, construction, hospitality, retail; aviation concessions per reporting)From the research record · cites:
- en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
- kastrati.al (opens in a new tab)
- exit.al (opens in a new tab)
- and 1 more in that record
- companyFrom the research record · cites:
- The investors behind the Trump family's Albanian resort (opens in a new tab)Reporter.al (BIRN) · 29 May 2026 · journalism · EN
- Documents that reveal who is taking control of Zvereni and Sazan (opens in a new tab)Citizens.al · 8 Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
- Private Albanian conglomerate (fuel, insurance, construction, hospitality, retail; aviation concessions per reporting)From the research record · cites:
- Ownership
- Shefqet Kastrati (owner). Role in Zvernec undetermined.From the research record · cites:
- The investors behind the Trump family's Albanian resort (opens in a new tab)Reporter.al (BIRN) · 29 May 2026 · journalism · EN
- Documents that reveal who is taking control of Zvereni and Sazan (opens in a new tab)Citizens.al · 8 Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
- Not publicly documented in sources reviewed.From the research record · cites:
- Zyrtarizohet kalimi i aeroportit te Rinasit te Kastrati Group per 71 milione euro (opens in a new tab)Shqiptarja · Dec 2020 · journalism · SQ
- Transfer of Rinas Airport to Kastrati Complete (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · journalism · EN
- Shefqet Kastrati (owner). Role in Zvernec undetermined.From the research record · cites:
- Source label
- OFFICIALLY_REPORTEDFrom the research record · cites:
- en.wikipedia.org (opens in a new tab)
- kastrati.al (opens in a new tab)
- exit.al (opens in a new tab)
- and 1 more in that record
- UNDER_INVESTIGATIONFrom the research record · cites:
- The investors behind the Trump family's Albanian resort (opens in a new tab)Reporter.al (BIRN) · 29 May 2026 · journalism · EN
- Documents that reveal who is taking control of Zvereni and Sazan (opens in a new tab)Citizens.al · 8 Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
- OFFICIALLY_REPORTEDFrom the research record · cites:
Description
Conglomerate owned by Shefqet Kastrati (BIRN summary). Publicly distanced itself from the Zvernec works (BIRN). The NYT quoted its role as undetermined in 2024 (per BIRN). Citizens.al (2026-06-08) says Kastrati-linked and Strik-linked companies used addresses tied to its assets; the article says a shared address alone does not prove ownership.
Other accounts in the research (1 field worded differently)
This record appears in more than one research record. The main text above comes from one; the other versions are kept here unedited.
- Description
- Conglomerate owned by Shefqet Kastrati (BIRN summary). Publicly distanced itself from the Zvernec works (BIRN). The NYT quoted its role as undetermined in 2024 (per BIRN). Citizens.al (2026-06-08) says Kastrati-linked and Strik-linked companies used addresses tied to its assets; the article says a shared address alone does not prove ownership.From the research record
- Albanian group that acquired the Tirana International Airport concession in December 2020 from Real Fortress Private Limited (a Chinese-linked owner) for a reported EUR 71 million.From the research record
Contracts and money
Figures recorded for the cases linked to this organisation. A figure here is not necessarily paid to or by this organisation; check payer and payee.
Zvernec South Adriatic Development capital increase
€250,000
otherSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Capital raised from 50,000 to 250,000 euro two days before the 7 May 2026 agreement, per Citizens.al. Capital increase, not a contract price.
Date: May 2026 · Payer: Shareholders (not named in fetched text) · Payee: Zvernec South Adriatic Development sh.p.k
- Documents that reveal who is taking control of Zvereni and Sazan (opens in a new tab)Citizens.al · 8 Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
Albania Land Development transferred to Sazan Operations Holding
€10,000
Incomplete figurepaymentSource label: Under investigationStated definition: 10,000 euro per Citizens.al (2026-06-08). A separate search summary reports a land sale of 5.5 million euro (Artur Shehu to ALD, 21 Nov 2025) with value rising to 122 million under prosecutor review; that source was not opened and is UNVERIFIED. INCOMPLETE.
Date: Nov 2025 · Payer: Sazan Operations Holding (Doha) · Payee: Albania Land Development sh.p.k (shareholder transfer)
- Documents that reveal who is taking control of Zvereni and Sazan (opens in a new tab)Citizens.al · 8 Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
Kushner and associates investment, narrative figure
€1,000,000,000
Incomplete figureotherSource label: Under investigationStated definition: 'One billion euros for the island' per Follow the Money narrative (Citizens.al 2026-06-21). Not verified against any company filing; separately Balkan press cites about 1.4 billion dollars or 1.5 billion dollars for the total project. INCOMPLETE and conflicting.
Date: Jun 2026 · Payer: Kushner and associates (as narrated) · Payee: Sazan project (undetermined)
- Corruption investigation into Trump's son-in-law's Albanian resort leads to Holland (opens in a new tab)Citizens.al (Follow the Money) · 21 Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
Al-Khayyat Group access to construction contracts (NYT, as cited)
€12,000,000,000
Incomplete figurecontractSource label: Under investigationStated definition: 'About twelve billion euros' per New York Times as cited by Follow the Money (Citizens.al 2026-06-21). Attribution is second-hand. INCOMPLETE: no breakdown by contract or project.
Date: Jun 2026 · Payer: Government / public contracting authorities (as implied) · Payee: Al-Khayyat Group
- Corruption investigation into Trump's son-in-law's Albanian resort leads to Holland (opens in a new tab)Citizens.al (Follow the Money) · 21 Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
Payment to personal holding of Zoya Gyurova
€400,000
paymentSource label: Under investigationStated definition: EUR 400,000 'poured into a personal holding company' per Follow the Money, from her annual financial report. Source of the funds not stated in the summary read.
Date: Jun 2026 · Payer: Dutch / Strik-linked structure (per FTM, not precisely stated) · Payee: Personal holding company of Zoya Gyurova
- Corruption investigation into Trump's son-in-law's Albanian resort leads to Holland (opens in a new tab)Citizens.al (Follow the Money) · 21 Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
Price of Tirana airport concession transfer to Kastrati Group
€71,000,000
concessionSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Reported value of the concession transfer from Real Fortress Private Limited; not a public contract value. Source: Shqiptarja.
Date: Dec 2020 · Payer: Kastrati Group · Payee: Real Fortress Private Limited
- Zyrtarizohet kalimi i aeroportit te Rinasit te Kastrati Group per 71 milione euro (opens in a new tab)Shqiptarja · Dec 2020 · journalism · SQ
Excess revenue over base case, Rinas concession (BDO audit as reported)
€84,000,000
Incomplete figureotherSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Incomplete and unreconciled: Top Channel gives about EUR 84m; another report gives EUR 85m for 2004-2017. Audit period and method not confirmed.
Date: 2020 · Payer: not found · Payee: Concessionaire (TIA) relative to base case
- Exclusive: Rinas airport is required to halve tariffs after auditing report (opens in a new tab)Top Channel · 2020 · journalism · EN
Tender funding limit, Milot-Morinë (Feb 2016)
€45,000,000
6,020,000,000 lek
tenderSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Funding limit as reported by Exit.al (2018); the EUR figure is Exit.al's conversion ('about 45 million'). Not checked against the tender notice.
Date: Feb 2016 · Payer: Government of Albania (Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure) · Payee: tender (open to bidders)
- Corruption with the Rruga e Kombit - Exit Explains (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 9 Apr 2018 · journalism · EN
Value of Vendeka preferred bid, 30 years (Balkanweb, 2016)
€5,600,000
concessionSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Balkanweb (22 Jul 2016): 'Koncesioni ka vlerën 5.6 mln euro dhe jepet për 30 vjet.' Not reconciled with the other values in this file; the article does not explain the basis of the figure.
Date: 22 Jul 2016 · Payer: Government of Albania · Payee: Vendeka consortium (preferred bidder)
- Kompania turke fiton koncesionin e Rrugës së Kombit për 30 vjet (opens in a new tab)Balkanweb · 22 Jul 2016 · journalism · SQ
Final value in concession contract notice (Dec 2016)
€64,935,000
contractSource label: UnverifiedStated definition: Value taken from a search summary of the Public Procurement Agency notice (HTTP 403, not opened). Unverified against the document. Listed as contract value, which may differ from the total cost figures reported by Exit.al (66 million, 64.9 million subsidy cap).
Date: 6 Dec 2016 · Payer: Government of Albania · Payee: Catalyst Viva Das General Contracting LLC with Kastrati sh.a. (as named in the notice)
- Formulari i njoftimit të nënshkrimit të kontratës - Albanian Highway Concession (seen in search results) (opens in a new tab)Public Procurement Agency (as hosted on opencorporates.al) · Dec 2016 · official · SQ
State payments: 5 million euro a year for 13 years; total concession cost 66 million euro (Exit.al, 2017)
€66,000,000
concessionSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Exit.al's total. The article gives maximum state subsidy of 64.9 million euro, while 5 million euro x 13 years equals 65 million; the difference is not explained. Consultancy budget 3.6 million lekë (no EUR figure) is separate.
Date: 12 Jun 2017 · Payer: Government of Albania · Payee: Catalyst consortium / Albanian Highway Concession
- Rruga e Kombit Concession Will Cost State 66M (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 13 Jun 2017 · journalism · EN
Supervision consultancy budget (maximum, without VAT), 2017
3,600,000 lek
contractSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Maximum 3.6 million lekë without VAT, per Exit.al. Funded 50% state and 50% concession holder.
Date: 12 Jun 2017 · Payer: Government of Albania and concession holder (50/50) · Payee: DOLSAR Engineering
- Rruga e Kombit Concession Will Cost State 66M (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 13 Jun 2017 · journalism · EN
Price paid for 60% consortium stake (Exit.al allegation)
€453,000
otherSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Per Exit.al (2018), price for 60% against expected concession revenue of about 400 million euro. No deed, registry or document cited; allegation.
Date: Feb 2017 · Payer: Kastrati sh.a. and Salillari shpk · Payee: three foreign partners of the consortium
- Corruption with the Rruga e Kombit - Exit Explains (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 9 Apr 2018 · journalism · EN
Compensation for reduced tolls: 48.5 million euro over 30 years
€48,500,000
paymentSource label: Officially reportedStated definition: Figure announced by Minister Arben Ahmetaj per Exit.al (2018). Exit.al's own reading: about 1.6 million euro a year; the article says the government gave no supporting data. The article also cites a rounded 'about 50 million' and an overall cost raised to 350 million euro.
Date: 17 Sep 2018 · Payer: Government of Albania · Payee: Albanian Highway Concession (concessionaire)
- Government Ignores Contract, Offers 50M Extra to Rruga e Kombit Concession Holder (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 17 Sep 2018 · journalism · EN
Overall concession cost 'raised to' 350 million euro (Exit.al, 2018)
€350,000,000
concessionSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Exit.al (2018) states the overall concession cost was raised to 350 million euro. This conflicts with the 66 million (2017) and 64.9 million subsidy figures; the basis is not given in the article read.
Date: 17 Sep 2018 · Payer: Government of Albania · Payee: Albanian Highway Concession
- Government Ignores Contract, Offers 50M Extra to Rruga e Kombit Concession Holder (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 17 Sep 2018 · journalism · EN
Guaranteed minimum annual toll income, year one (8 million euro)
€8,000,000
paymentSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Per Exit.al (2018): state covers any shortfall below 8 million euro in year one; toll income above 9.5 million euro is shared. Contract terms as quoted by Exit.al; the contract text was not read.
Date: 17 Sep 2018 · Payer: Government of Albania (budget top-up) · Payee: Albanian Highway Concession
- Government Ignores Contract, Offers 50M Extra to Rruga e Kombit Concession Holder (opens in a new tab)Exit.al · 17 Sep 2018 · journalism · EN
Reported Zvernec land sale agreement at about 5.5 million euro (Artur Shehu to Albania Land Development)
€5,500,000
contractSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Estimated value per a search summary; source article not opened. Conflicts with 122 million (AFP/OCCRP) and 230 million (Kushner statement, Oct 2026).
Date: 21 Nov 2025 · Payer: Albania Land Development (as reported) · Payee: Artur Shehu (as reported)
- Zvernec Wikipedia-style timeline (summary of news sources) (opens in a new tab)Timeline compiled from news (mirror) · Jun 2026 · journalism · EN
Reported sale of Zvernec land for about 122 million euro (April 2026, AFP sources)
€122,000,000
contractSource label: Under investigationStated definition: AFP-sourced figure via OCCRP/IDN summary; the sale date and buyer are as reported. Disputed (see fin-ald-land-price-5-5m-nov-2025 and fin-zvernec-kushner-230m-claim).
Date: Apr 2026 · Payer: Albania Land Development (as reported) · Payee: Artur Shehu (as reported)
- Albania Freezes Assets in Kushner Resort Probe (opens in a new tab)OCCRP · undated · journalism · EN
Kushner's stated price for the Zvernec land: 230 million euro, 'private transaction under Albanian law'
€230,000,000
otherSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Statement reported by Albanian Daily News (2026-10-08), paraphrase. Not reconciled with 5.5m or 122m reports.
Date: 8 Oct 2026 · Payer: not stated · Payee: not stated
- Kushner Responds to Zvërnec Claims, Says Albania Project Could Reach €4 Billion (opens in a new tab)Albanian Daily News · 8 Oct 2026 · journalism · EN
Declared total of the Zvernec development: about 4 billion euro (Kushner, as reported); about 5 billion combined with Sazan (Rama, as reported)
€4,000,000,000
otherSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Declared figure, not an investment record. Other reports: about 1.4 bn for Sazan; 2.6 bn lek declared for a 2.5-ha Pishe Poro site (Reporter.al). Figures differ across sources.
Date: 8 Oct 2026 · Payer: not applicable · Payee: not applicable
- Kushner Responds to Zvërnec Claims, Says Albania Project Could Reach €4 Billion (opens in a new tab)Albanian Daily News · 8 Oct 2026 · journalism · EN
Reported $195 million transfer from Qatar to Albania Land Development, frozen for about three days (Shqiptarja)
No amount recorded
seizureSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Stated in USD ($195 million) by Shqiptarja; Albanian Daily News says nearly 200 million euro frozen but not officially confirmed; SPAK did not confirm the seizure per summaries. The Shqiptarja and Balkanweb versions say the funds were in accounts of landowners and later released for the company.
Date: Jun 2026 · Payer: Qatar (as reported) · Payee: Albania Land Development (as reported)
- Zhbllokohen 195 milionë dollarë për Zvërnecin, SPAK e bllokoi për 3 ditë (opens in a new tab)Shqiptarja · undated · journalism · SQ
- Rama Defends Zvërnec Investment Project Amid Reports of Asset Freeze and Ongoing Investigation (opens in a new tab)Albanian Daily News · undated · journalism · EN
Reported freeze of about 110 million euro in a notary's account (OCCRP / IDN)
€110,000,000
seizureSource label: Under investigationStated definition: Reported by OCCRP and IDN per search summary; differs from 195m USD (Shqiptarja) and 128.4m (Balkanweb unrelated text). Not officially confirmed.
Date: Jun 2026 · Payer: not stated · Payee: notary account (as reported)
- Albania Freezes Assets in Kushner Resort Probe (opens in a new tab)OCCRP · undated · journalism · EN
Officials and people linked
PD allegation: Kastrati as 'closest oligarch' of Rama
Evidence: Teliti's 22 Oct 2019 statement, as reported by Shqiptarja. Allegation only; no documentary support found.
Investigations and cases
Sorted by reported money, then by linked people and their legal status. The money figure is the largest single reported figure, not a total.
From Mar 2024
Zvernec / Sazan resort: corporate chain, land and SPAK probe
A luxury resort project on Sazan Island and at Zvernec (Vlore), linked in reporting to Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners and to the Qatari Al-Khayyat brothers. Reporting by Citizens.al, Reporter.al…
Status: Open. SPAK investigation ongoing per reporting to 21 June 2026. No charges against Kushner or Affinity found.
From 21 Nov 2024
Zvernec land titles, sale prices and SPAK freezes (2024-2026)
Reporting describes a chain of land transactions in Zvernec between Artur Shehu (Vlora businessman living in the US, not charged per BIRN), local parcels with contested ownership (residents say the…
Status: SPAK investigation reported open (June 2026 onward). Freezes reported; amounts disputed; release of company accounts reported by Shqiptarja. No charges found…
From Jan 2016
Rruga e Kombit (Milot-Morinë motorway): 2016 concession tender, Kastrati-linked consortium and toll compensation
The Milot-Morinë section of the Rruga e Kombit (A1/SH10, linking Tirana-Durrës area to Kosovo) was put out to tender in February 2016 by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. Balkanweb…
Status: Concession in operation since the 2018 toll start (per press reports). No criminal case against Shefqet Kastrati or the concessionaire on this concession…
From 2005
Tirana International Airport (Rinas) concession: audit, ownership transfer and extension
Tirana International Airport (TIA) has operated Rinas under a concession first set at 20 years (2005, per search summary). In December 2020 Kastrati Group acquired the concession from Real Fortress…
Status: Concession in force per reporting; audit recommendations reported; Competition Authority review reported without a confirmed date or outcome.
Sources for this record
Every source the research cites for this record, grouped by its source label. 11 sources.
Source label: Officially reportedOfficially reported · 8 sources
- Publisher
- en.wikipedia.org
- Date
- not recorded
- Publisher
- kastrati.al
- Date
- not recorded
- Publisher
- exit.al
- Date
- not recorded
- Publisher
- openprocurement.al
- Date
- not recorded
- Publisher
- Reporter.al (BIRN)
- Date
- 29 May 2026
- Publisher
- Citizens.al
- Date
- 8 Jun 2026
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- Dec 2020
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- not recorded
Source label: Under investigationUnder investigation · 2 sources
- Publisher
- Kastrati Group (company website)
- Date
- undated
- Publisher
- Exit.al
- Date
- 9 Apr 2018
Source label: UnverifiedUnverified · 1 source
- Publisher
- Shqiptarja
- Date
- 22 Oct 2019
Other connections
Co-buyers of consortium stake (2017, Exit.al)
Evidence: Exit.al (2018) reports Salillari and Kastrati together acquired 60%; Kastrati sh.a. and Kastrati Group JSC are not confirmed to be the same entity.
Shared/moved address between Sazan Operations and Kastrati-linked companies
Evidence: Citizens.al (2026-06-08): Dutch Global Maintenance and Dutch Warehouse Services addresses moved from MAK Albania Hotel (declared address of Sazan Operations) to TIA (Tirana Airport), both described as controlled by the Kastrati group; Kastrati group declined comment. Citizens.al states shared addresses do not prove ownership or control.
HYPOTHESIS: Kastrati group has an operational role in Sazan/Zvernec companies
Evidence: SUPPORTS: shared or moved addresses (MAK Albania Hotel to TIA) with Kastrati-controlled companies (Citizens.al 2026-06-08); Kastrati-linked Dutch companies in the Strik network; Kastrati group named in the BIRN article. WOULD DISPROVE: registry extracts showing no shareholder/director overlap; Kastrati group's denial in an on-record statement; the address moves being ordinary commercial registered-office services. Shared address alone does not prove control (Citizens.al's own caveat). Confidence UNVERIFIED.