dailyloe.com – Ahmed Gadalla, a businessman based in Dubai, is linked to the financial operations of the Haftar family in Libya. He holds a passport from Saint Kitts and Nevis and has been active in various business sectors across Libya, the UAE, Malta, and the UK.
Reports indicate he owns multiple properties in the UAE and a $3.7 million apartment in Toronto. He is known for a lavish lifestyle, reportedly wearing $500,000 watches and traveling on private jets.
According to the United Nations’ Panel of Experts on Libya and The Sentry, Gadalla plays a crucial role in financing Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF). This group controls eastern Libya and receives backing from the UAE and Egypt.
Gadalla’s rise to prominence is said to be supported by Khalifa Haftar’s son, Saddam Haftar. He is accused of being involved in a financial network linked to money laundering, arms smuggling, and trafficking.
The Sentry highlighted that Gadalla operates at the intersection of militia control and weakened economic institutions in Libya. They noted that his business dealings may involve obtaining fraudulent letters of credit through banks under his control.
Furthermore, the reports suggest his connection to Haftar’s unsuccessful assault on Tripoli during 2019-2020. Despite these accusations, Gadalla vehemently denies any involvement with the LAAF, asserting that he is engaging with the UN Panel regarding the allegations.
Gadalla stated, “I utterly reject and deny the accusations made against me by The Sentry. My lawyers are challenging those allegations, and I also refute the claims made about me in the UN Panel of Experts report insofar as they relate to me,” in a statement to Middle East Eye.
As international efforts to unify Libya’s government continue, Gadalla remains a significant figure amid ongoing scrutiny of the Haftar family’s financial dealings.
