Corruption scheme/ Veliaj and Xoxa at the head of the suspicious network of transactions

2025-02-13 08:08:00, Denoncim CNA

Corruption scheme/ Veliaj and Xoxa at the head of the suspicious network of

Day after day, CNA is uncovering details from the investigative file that shows the entire corruption scheme in which, according to the justice institution, Mayor Erion Veliaj and his wife Ajola Xoxa are involved.

The file explains the corruption and money laundering scheme carried out by Ajola Xoxa and Erion Veliaj.

The Mayor of Tirana, citizen Erion Veliaj, through his signature, has approved in any case the distribution of public funds to several commercial entities closely linked to him, funds that have subsequently ended up in several non-profit organizations, limited liability companies, natural persons controlled by his wife, citizen Ajola Xoxa, as well as individuals close to the latter, creating a suspicious and complicated network of transactions.

"Thus, the evidence collected up to this stage of the investigation exposes the existence of a well-thought-out mechanism, created and put into operation by the citizens under investigation with the aim of benefiting from public funds and personal enrichment through camouflaged and illegal actions. Regarding the practices followed by these citizens, as will be presented below, based on the evidence administered in the dossier, in at least 10 cases reasonable suspicion is created of the commission of acts of a corrupt nature by the local elected official, as well as the laundering of the proceeds of crime at the highest level of local government.

The Mayor of Tirana, citizen Erion Veliaj, through his signature, has approved in every case the distribution of public funds to several commercial entities closely linked to him, these funds that have subsequently ended up in several non-profit organizations, limited liability companies, natural persons controlled by his wife, citizen Ajola Xoxa, as well as individuals close to the latter, creating a suspicious and complicated network of transactions. According to the Special Prosecution, the collected evidence creates reasonable suspicion that the public funds emanating from the institution of the Tirana municipality, with the signature of the head, i) have passed directly to the latter's wife and her family circle; ii) have passed through sponsorships and free lending of real estate in expensive areas of the capital, from commercial entities, which in turn have benefited from public funds from the Municipality of Tirana, to the wife of the Mayor of Tirana, NGOs, LLCs and natural persons controlled by the latter; iii) have passed as real estate of considerable value, given as an irregular benefit by specific persons who own and administer commercial entities closely linked to the Municipality of Tirana through the benefit of public funds as well as construction permits, to the family of the Mayor of Tirana; iv) have been spent on large-value purchases by family members of the Mayor of Tirana, camouflaging these purchases through other persons. Each transfer of these public funds was carried out with the approval of the Mayor of Tirana, citizen Erion Veliaj", states the investigative file.

Among other things, according to the Special Prosecution Office, the facts and evidence presented to the court also create reasonable suspicion that in this specific case we are talking about an organized system of corruption and misuse of public funds, led by the mayor of Tirana and his wife Ajola Xoxa.

"Also, according to the Special Prosecution, the facts and evidence presented to the court also create reasonable suspicion that in this case we are talking about an organized system of corruption and misuse of public funds, led by the mayor of Tirana and the latter's wife. At the center of this corruption scheme and laundering of the proceeds of this crime, it turns out to be the mayor of Tirana, whose signature was decisive for the distribution of public funds, from which he and his close family members directly benefited in an irregular manner. From the preliminary investigations conducted up to this stage, the proceeding body has reached the conclusion that, in addition to the immovable properties acquired by the citizens under investigation Erion Veliaj and Ajola Xoxa (under the property regime of the legal community), the latter, through the companies "Partners Law" shpk, "Arts Lab" shpk, "Ava Studio" shpk, "Nan Gallery" shpk, "Byl-A" NGO, "Harabel" NGO, "Eventus" NGO and "Muza" NGO, which we will prove below are entirely controlled by the wife of the Mayor of Tirana, have generated income amounting to around 1-10,000,000 lek.

4.4. Also, from the investigations conducted up to this stage, according to the Special Prosecutor's Office against Corruption and Organized Crime, it has provided sufficient evidence to conclude that citizen Ajola Xoxa, herself or through other persons close to her, for a period of about 6 years, has made obline purchases consisting of personal clothing, dresses, blouses, bags, skirts, coats, cosmetic products, lipstick, earrings, etc., in the amount of 86,721,175 lekë", the investigative file states./ CNA