Jordan’s King Abdullah II’s Property Empire Revealed in Pandora Papers

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Recently, Jordan was in the world’s attention because it was one of the countries that is said to have helped Israel shoot down an Iranian drone that was going to attack the Zionist country. last week.

This country has also come under intense scrutiny because Jordan’s King Abdullah II was previously among dozens of world leaders who hid millions of dollars in tax-free countries (tax shelter) and secretly buy luxury homes around the world.

This was revealed in an investigation known as the Pandora Papers in 2021. This investigation involving around 600 journalists is based on the release of around 11.9 million documents from 14 global financial services.

The documents show how King Abdullah II created a network of shell and tax-exempt companies to build a property empire worth US$100 million or about Rp 1.6 trillion from Malibu, California to Washington, DC and London.

According to the study, “Three mansions on a beach in Malibu [dibeli] through three offshore companies for $68 million by the King of Jordan in the years after Jordanians filled the streets during the “Arab Spring” to protest unemployment and corruption.”

Abdullah also has three luxury apartments in a building in Washington, DC, with panoramic views of the Potomac River, and a house in Ascot, one of Britain’s most expensive cities, as well as a multi-million dollar apartment there central London, the report said.

“Jordan does not have as much money as other monarchies in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, which would allow a king to flaunt his wealth,” said Annelle Sheline, a Middle East scholar. Al Jazeera.

“If the king of Jordan shows his wealth more openly, this will not only anger his people, but will disappoint the Western donors who gave him money,” he said.

The palace also said King Abdullah’s properties in the US and the UK were “no secret”. Privacy and security are the reasons why these properties are not published.

“This is nothing strange or inappropriate,” said a statement from the royal palace.

“The cost of this building and all costs related to it were personally funded by His Majesty. None of these costs were funded by the state budget or state treasury,” the statement continued.

The Jordanian Palace said that these buildings are used during official visits and some of them are used during private visits.

King Abdullah’s lawyers said all the properties were bought with personal wealth, and it was common practice for celebrities to buy properties through overseas companies for privacy and security reasons.

Recently, Jordan’s King, Abdullah II, said that his country should not become a ‘regional war theater’ after Jordan intercepted several missiles and drones when Iran attacked Israel at the weekend.

Abdullah reinforced his country’s commitment to maintaining security and sovereignty above all other issues. Reported by Arab News, he stressed that Jordan’s goal is to maintain its own sovereignty instead of defending Israel.

Last weekend, Jordan was among a group of countries that helped Israel shoot down missiles, rockets and drones launched by Iran and its Israeli allies.

(luck/luck)