Kushner, who heads private equity firm Affinity Partners, has a separate real estate portfolio estimated at billions of dollars. He also serves as Trump’s special envoy for peace and is involved in diplomatic negotiations on Gaza, Iran and the war in Ukraine. Critics have raised questions about the overlap between his business empire and political roles.
In August 2024, Kushner unveiled plans for Affinity Partners to turn the site into a luxury resort and in early 2026 he visited the area with his wife, Ivanka. In a recent interview with POLITICO, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed talks were ongoing between the government and Kushner over the deal, which is set to include 10,000 hotel rooms.
Kushner and Affinity Partners did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the investigation.
Speaking to Albanian lawmakers on Monday, Rama denied that the project encroaches on a protected wildlife reserve and said that the final proposal has yet to be submitted and the environmental study is not complete.
SPAK was established with EU and U.S backing as a part of the country’s wide-ranging justice reform in 2019. It acts independently of the national judiciary and has investigated, prosecuted and convicted a number of high-level officials from both sides of the political spectrum. It is currently the most trusted institution in the country, according to several independent polls.
Violent protests
Citizen and environmental NGO-led protests began toward the end of May, when large barbed-wire-topped fences were erected by developers at the proposed site in Zvernec, southern Albania, preventing locals and tourists from accessing the beach.