£14 Million Knightsbridge Mansion and Ascot Golf Club Lost in Fraud Crackdown
Zamira Hajiyeva, wife of jailed Azerbaijani banker Jahangir Hajiyev, has agreed to hand over a £14 million Knightsbridge property near Harrods and a prestigious Ascot golf club. This follows a six-year National Crime Agency (NCA) probe into the origins of their lavish assets, believed to be bought with stolen money.
Banker Husband Behind Bars for Major Fraud
Jahangir Hajiyev is serving 16 years in a Baku prison for abuse of office and fraud during his time as chairman of the International Bank of Azerbaijan (IBA) from 2001 to 2015. The NCA uncovered that the Hajiyevs’ luxury lifestyle was funded via false accounting and money laundering.
Money Laundering Operation Spanned the Globe
The investigation revealed a global web of shell companies in hotspots like the British Virgin Islands, Panama, Cyprus, and Luxembourg. Embezzled cash was funneled through these fronts to buy high-end UK assets.
“NCA officers worked tirelessly to track the complex movement of these funds across the international banking system,” said Tim Quarrelle, Asset Denial branch commander at the NCA.
Groundbreaking Use of Unexplained Wealth Order
This case marks one of the first major wins using the unexplained wealth order (UWO), a powerful tool introduced by the Criminal Finances Act 2017. Mrs Hajiyeva was slapped with the first-ever UWO more than six years ago, forcing her to explain her extravagant purchases.
Simon Armstrong, deputy director at NCA Legal, said: “After complex and lengthy litigation, we successfully recovered millions of pounds in assets. This fantastic result shows that the NCA will use every power available to pursue the proceeds of crime.”
UK Cracks Down on Dirty Money in Stunning Victory
The forfeiture of these ultra-luxury assets sends a clear warning: the UK will smash illicit financial flows from risky foreign regimes. The NCA continues to fight to protect Britain’s financial system and recover stolen crime cash.
