3 July 9-15, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | ▼ INTERNATIONAL LAND DISPUTE A MIAMI BEACH DEVELOPER IS AT CENTER OF JARED KUSHNER’S ALBANIA CONTROVERSY. BY NATASHA YEE A waterfront mansion on Miami Beach’s exclusive Flamingo Drive seems an unlikely place to become the headquarters of one of the Balkans’ most con- tentious real estate battles. But according to a sweeping investigation by the Organized Crime and Corruption Re- porting Project (OCCRP), that’s exactly where Albanian developer Artur Shehu di- rected a yearslong effort to acquire coastal land in his native country — property that now forms the foundation of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump’s proposed $1.4 billion luxury resort in Albania. Now Shehu, who owns multimillion-dol- lar homes in both Miami Beach and North Bay Village and operates a Florida-based real estate business, finds himself at the center of a growing international controversy involv- ing disputed land deals, organized crime alle- gations, and an Albanian anti-corruption investigation. The latest scrutiny comes after the Daily Beast reported that Albanian prosecutors are examining allegations surrounding the land assembled for Kushner’s planned resort on the Adriatic coast. Neither Kushner nor Ivanka Trump has been accused of wrongdo- ing, and there is no indication they are targets of the investigation. Their development firm has said it conducted extensive due diligence before pursuing the project. For South Floridians, however, one of the central figures in the controversy has been living much closer to home. Property records show Shehu owns a waterfront home at 2637 Flamingo Drive in Miami Beach, along one of the city’s most exclusive residential streets. He also owns a residence in North Bay Village at 1510 South Treasure Drive (currently listed for rent at $21,000 per month). According to OCCRP, investigators believe Shehu directed the acquisition of thousands of acres of Albanian coastal property while living in South Florida, gradually assembling one of the country’s largest private land port- folios. That land would later become critical to Kushner’s plans to transform the protected Albanian coastline into a sprawling luxury re- sort destination. OCCRP reported that Shehu spent years purchasing disputed property claims from villagers, often through complex legal ar- rangements that critics say exploited Alba- nia’s chaotic post-communist property system. Many residents argue that land that had belonged to their fami- lies for genera- tions was improperly transferred into private hands before being sold for development. The dispute eventually sparked nation- wide protests in Albania, where demonstra- tors accused the government of favoring politically connected developers over local communities. Flamingos became a symbol of the movement after environmentalists warned the project threatened sensitive coastal habitat. Shehu has maintained business operations in South Florida as well. Corporate records show he controls Adhe- nis, a real estate company operating through a Florida limited liability company while de- veloping projects in Albania. The company has marketed residential and commercial developments in the Balkan nation, reflecting Shehu’s dual presence in South Florida and southeastern Europe. New Times attempted to reach Shehu through multiple phone numbers associated with him, but was unsuccessful. He also did not respond to an emailed request for com- ment by the time of publication. Shehu has long denied allegations tying him to organized crime. According to OCCRP, Italian authorities previously investigated Shehu over alleged connections to drug trafficking and organized crime networks but never charged him, con- cluding they lacked sufficient evidence to prosecute. The reporting also describes Albanian prosecutors examining financial transactions and land acquisitions connected to the coastal development project. The investigation does not accuse Kushner, Ivanka Trump, or their investment firm of criminal wrongdoing. Shehu has denied engaging in illegal activ- ity. Through attorneys, he has maintained that his property acquisitions complied with Albanian law. The controversy has cast new attention on one of the Trump family’s largest interna- tional business ventures since leaving the White House. Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Part- ners, announced plans to develop a luxury re- sort on Albania’s Sazan Island and the nearby Zvërnec peninsula after receiving preliminary approval from the Albanian government. The project has drawn criticism from en- vironmental advocates, historians, and resi- dents, who argue the development threatens protected ecosystems and benefits politically connected investors. Now, with Albanian authorities investigat- ing aspects of the land assembly behind the project, attention has shifted to the Miami- based developer who quietly spent years ac- quiring the property from his homes along Biscayne Bay. [email protected] | RIPTIDE | GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS The fallout has put Kushner’s international business venture under renewed scrutiny. Evan Vucci/ via Getty Images ▼ INTERNATIONAL DIRTY MINDS A NEW LIONEL MESSI STATUE GOES VIRAL FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS. BY B. SCOTT MCLENDON U pon hearing that Argentinian soccer phenom Lionel Messi is going viral on social media during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, one could be forgiven for assuming it was due to a stellar performance, a spectacular goal, or another record broken. But in a twist of fate not even the most Nostradamian Kalshi bet- tors could have predicted, a massive 85-foot-tall Messi statue is going viral because (as some as- tute netizens have put it) it looks like he’s about to hop on a World Cup trophy-shaped dildo. It’s not the first time an artist has made a viral blunder when trying to immortalize a sports fig- ure — just ask Dwyane Wade or Cristiano Ron- aldo. The Inter Miami star’s statue unveiling took place on his 39th birthday, June 24, in Cutral Có, a small Argentinian town in Patagonia, according to ESPN. Sculptor Aldo Beroisa, 61, took 18 months to complete the project, which depicts Messi on his knees celebrating after the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in Qa- tar, following his team’s penalty shoot- out win over France. Beroisa may have gotten away with the design un- scathed if Messi wasn’t seated behind the World Cup trophy, with its unfor- tunate phallic shape. And while internet perversion is a powerful thing that can turn even the most innocent images into something dirty, the perverts may have a point this time. One post about the statue garnered more than 3 million views just two days after the un- veiling, with X comedians ripping the design. “New angles of the giant Lionel Messi statue in Patagonia,” the post reads. In response, some even used AI to help those with less powerful imaginations. Other X users have been having a field day with the photos. “This is what happens when a Ronaldo fan becomes an architect,” one commenter wrote, referencing the rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi that mostly exists between their fanbases. “Man looks like he’s riding a dildo,” wrote an- other with a picture of Messi crying. Some were impressed by the body Beroisa gave Messi, with one user writing, “The sculptor who made this Messi statue from behind defi- nitely needs to be questioned by the authorities. They gave him too much ‘plot.’” “People with dirty minds need to start ap- proving statues before they are revealed,” wrote another. [email protected] ITALIAN AUTHORITIES PREVIOUSLY INVESTIGATED SHEHU OVER ALLEGED CONNECTIONS TO DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ORGANIZED CRIME NETWORKS. Photo by Michele Eve Sandberg The star of Inter Miami FC, Lionel Messi.
