Sons Of Iranian Leaders K!lled Alongside Khamenei Linked To $29Million Dubai Luxury Properties Under False Identities — Report

 

Sons Of Iranian Leaders Killed Alongside Khamenei Linked To $29Million Dubai Luxury Properties Under False Identities — Report

The brothers are sons of Ali Shamkhani, a senior political adviser to Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Sons of associates of powerful Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, who were killed alongside Khamenei in recent US military strikes have been linked to a sprawling $29 million luxury property empire in Dubai, secretly acquired under assumed identities and foreign passports, according to an investigation by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

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Property records obtained by OCCRP reveal that Hossein Shamkhani — a sanctioned oil magnate — and his younger brother, Abolfazl Shamkhani, used aliases and Caribbean “golden passports” to acquire at least four high-end villas in the United Arab Emirates.

The brothers are sons of Ali Shamkhani, a senior political adviser to Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Their father was reportedly killed during recent U.S. and Israeli strikes that also claimed the lives of Khamenei and other top Iranian officials, according to ILNA, a semi-official Iranian news agency.

Hossein Shamkhani was sanctioned by the United States and the European Union in July 2025 over allegations that he generated billions of dollars in oil revenue for the governments of Iran and Russia.
The U.S. Treasury identified him as holding Dominican citizenship under the alias “Hugo Hayek.”

OCCRP’s investigation further uncovered that his brother, Abolfazl — who has not been sanctioned — also obtained a Dominica passport under the name “Sami Hayek.”

Using these identities, the brothers acquired luxury real estate in Dubai valued at nearly $29 million at the time of purchase, records show.

Efforts to reach the brothers for comment were unsuccessful.

A man who answered a phone number listed in Dubai property records for “Sami Hayek” dismissed inquiries, saying it was a “wrong number.”

“I don’t care, okay. Thank you, bye,” the man said when told the number appeared in official records.
Calls placed to a number linked to “Hugo Hayek” were not answered.

According to a July 2025 sanctions notice by the U.S. Treasury Department, Hossein Shamkhani allegedly exploited “corruption through his father’s political influence… to build and operate a massive fleet of tankers and containerships.”

The Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) stated that the Shamkhani family funneled this “ill-gotten wealth” into “exclusive properties around the world and obtaining foreign passports in exchange for substantial financial investments.”

“These passports allow them to travel undetected and hide their connections to Iran when conducting business overseas in furtherance of their corrupt schemes,” OFAC said.

The United Kingdom also sanctioned Hossein in August 2025, accusing him of supporting Iran’s “hostile activity.”

As geopolitical tensions escalated, U.S. authorities intensified financial actions against the brothers.

On March 6, the U.S. Department of Justice filed two civil forfeiture cases in a federal court in Washington, D.C., targeting accounts containing over $15.3 million.

Prosecutors alleged the funds were tied to “a network of individuals, front companies, shipping companies, and financial institutions” allegedly orchestrated by Hossein Shamkhani.

The funds were seized earlier in 2026 after attempts were made to move them through the U.S. financial system via alleged front companies.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said authorities have “zero tolerance for foreign actors using the U.S. financial system to prop up our nation’s enemies.”

Although Abolfazl Shamkhani is not under sanctions, prosecutors allege he plays a key role in managing parts of the network, including a front company linked to $2 million in seized transfers.

Court filings also reveal that he operates under multiple aliases, including “Hassan Shamkhani” and “Sami Hayek.” He has not been criminally charged.

Records show the brothers initially used their real Iranian identities to acquire properties before switching to their Caribbean aliases.

In July 2019, they purchased two villas in Dubai’s exclusive Golf Place community under the names “Mohammad Hossein Sham Khani” and “Abolfazl Ali Shamkhani.”

A marketing brochure described the estate as a “luxury villa community” with “lush fairways, winding walkways, meticulously landscaped parks and gardens, as well as vast open spaces that would enhance the life of every resident.”

One of the villas, reportedly owned by Abolfazl, was later featured by a design firm, showcasing high-end interiors, expansive terraces, and a swimming pool overlooking a golf course.

Subsequent acquisitions were made under their Dominican identities.

In July 2022, Hossein — using the name “Hugo Hayek” — purchased a villa on Jumeirah Bay Island, an elite, man-made seahorse-shaped development off Dubai’s coast.

Just months later, in October 2022, Abolfazl, under the alias “Sami Hayek,” acquired another luxury residence in the same area.

Both properties remain in their possession under the assumed names.

It remains unclear whether the brothers still hold Dominican citizenship. Authorities in Dominica reportedly revoked Hossein’s passport following U.S. sanctions, but officials did not respond to requests for comment.
The brothers’ use of false identities extends beyond real estate.

Corporate records show that Abolfazl, as “Sami Hayek,” registered as a limited partner in a Cyprus-based investment fund, Saleya Fund RAIF LP, in November 2024, using his Dubai residence.

The fund has yet to file financial accounts, and its operations remain opaque.

The aliases also appear in records of a Turkish firm — Green Energy Chemicals Enerji Kimyasallari — which was later sanctioned by the U.S. for allegedly facilitating oil shipments for Iran and Russia in violation of sanctions.
The brothers were listed as founding shareholders before transferring their stakes in 2023 to Dubai-based Milavous Group Ltd.

Both the European Union and the United Kingdom have sanctioned Milavous Group, alleging it was used to conceal the origin of Russian oil and facilitate illicit transactions.

In March, U.S. prosecutors described the company as a “de facto corporate holding or management company” for businesses linked to the Shamkhani network.

However, Hossein Shamkhani denied any involvement.

In a statement to Bloomberg, he said he had “neither founded nor owned” Milavous Group and insisted he had “any role” in its management.

He also denied owning oil companies, claiming he operates only in countries “not under sanctions.”
Despite the denial, U.S. prosecutors allege that Hossein delegated parts of his operations to his brother, including activities linked to a Dubai-based entity known as Admiral Group.
The European Union has accused the firm of being used by Hossein to transport and sell Russian crude oil.