In recent investigations, reporters discovered that the properties owned by two brothers, Hugo and Sami Hayek, are now recorded under their names as listed on their Dominica passports. However, the exact timing of this change remains uncertain. The brothers have made subsequent real estate transactions through these aliases, indicating a strategic approach to property ownership.

Real Estate Transactions in Dubai

In July 2022, Hossein Shamkhani utilized his Dominican passport to acquire a villa located in the exclusive Jumeirah Bay Island, a unique man-made area shaped like a seahorse along Dubai’s coast. Just a few months later, in October, his brother Abolfazl, under the name Sami Hayek, secured a luxury residence in the same neighborhood. Current property records confirm that both villas are still under their aliases, though the status of their Dominica passports is less clear. Reports suggest that Hossein’s passport may have been revoked by Dominican authorities in response to U.S. sanctions, yet there has been no official comment from Dominican officials.

Aliases and Corporate Ventures

The use of “Hayek” as an alias extends beyond the brothers’ real estate ownership to their corporate activities. In November 2024, Abolfazl appeared in European corporate documentation as Sami Hayek, where he registered as a limited partner of the Saleya Fund RAIF LP, an alternative investment fund based in Cyprus, using his Dominica passport and Dubai residence. The fund’s operations remain shrouded in secrecy, as it has yet to file any accounts in Cyprus. Furthermore, they are also linked to a company that has faced sanctions from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for allegedly facilitating oil shipments for Russia and Iran, defying U.S. sanctions.

According to company records, both Hugo and Sami Hayek are listed as founding shareholders in a Turkish firm known as Green Energy Chemicals Enerji Kimyasallari Sanayi Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, which was established in 2021. Recent filings reveal that the brothers transferred their shares to Milavous Group Ltd, a Dubai-based enterprise, in November 2023. The OFAC placed sanctions on Milavous Group in July 2025, alleging that it assisted Hossein Shamkhani in managing the sale of Iranian oil and gas, including laundering proceeds from these transactions.

Legal Consequences and Denials

The European Union has also targeted Milavous Group with sanctions, claiming that Shamkhani has used the company to obscure the origin of oil from Russia. Meanwhile, the UK has imposed sanctions due to the firm’s alleged connections to the Iranian oil sector. U.S. prosecutors have made even more pointed accusations, describing Milavous Group as the “‘de facto’ management entity for various Shamkhani-related businesses.”

In a statement made to Bloomberg, Hossein Shamkhani denied any claims of ownership or founding of Milavous Group, asserting he has had no influence over its management and claiming to operate only in nations free from sanctions. Nevertheless, a civil forfeiture complaint filed by U.S. authorities indicated that Hossein had put his brother in charge of parts of Admiral Group, another Dubai-based company that was sanctioned by the EU in the previous year, further complicating their legal standing.

In this climate of scrutiny, the Shamkhani brothers navigate the complexities of international real estate and corporate investments, under aliases that continue to draw attention from regulators and the media alike. Whether they still hold any legal standing with their Dominica passports is still an open question, as international enforcement actions against them evolve.