Tirana, Albania – Erion Veliaj, the Mayor of Tirana, was arrested on Monday by Albanian authorities for charges of corruption, money laundering, and related crimes. If convicted, Veliaj could face up to 15 years in prison, according to prosecutors.
In a sweeping investigation led by the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), Veliaj’s wife, Ajola Xoxa, was also charged and placed under house arrest. Prosecutors allege the couple accumulated over 1 million euros ($1.03 million) in illicit income over the course of four years through a corrupt scheme.
Veliaj, who denies all charges, has called the evidence against him fabricated and politically motivated. His family’s lawyer, Ermir Beta, declined to comment on the case, citing a lack of full details about the charges.
The investigation also implicated businessmen Elman Abule, Shkëlqim Fusha, Gentian Sula, and Fatmir Bektashi, who are accused of providing illegal benefits to Veliaj and Xoxa, including real estate deals, luxury travel, and fictitious service payments.
In addition, SPAK charged Klotilda Bushka, a deputy in the Socialist Party and chairwoman of the Law Commission, with obstructing the investigation. Authorities claim that Veliaj used his position to approve construction permits and facilitated the transfer of public funds from the Municipality of Tirana to companies linked to his wife and her associates. Prosecutors allege that the illicit funds were used to purchase a villa in Qerret and amass roughly 110 million lek ($1.15 million) in illegal income.
A search of Xoxa’s company, Partners Law, revealed 95,000 euros ($98,000) in cash, nearly $15,000, and 665,000 lek ($6,900). Further investigations into bank accounts tied to Xoxa and her companies at Intesa Sanpaolo Bank and Banka Kombëtare Tregtare uncovered nearly 870,000 euros ($897,540), which have since been frozen by court order.
Prosecutors claim part of the illicit funds was spent on luxury goods, including 86.7 million lek ($900,000) on clothing and jewelry.
Veliaj, once considered a rising star in the Socialist Party and a potential successor to Prime Minister Edi Rama, has seen his political career stained by multiple scandals, including the infamous incinerator affair. In December 2024, SPAK confirmed that Veliaj was under investigation for corruption, money laundering, and income concealment. The case remains ongoing, with new evidence expected to surface in the coming weeks.
