New SMS records have surfaced, making businessman Marin Gjonaj part of a Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) investigation about the couple Ilir Meta and Monika Kryemadhi. The case outlines how UNIFI Holdings, a company linked to the couple, allegedly benefitted financially through connections with Vodafone Albania.
Yesterday, Ilir Meta was arrested on charges of “passive corruption of high state officials,” “money laundering,” and “failure to declare assets,” while Monika Kryemadhi was subjected to the legal measure of “obligation to appear.” According to sources, the SPAK case file reveals significant involvement by several business figures, including Marin Gjonaj, through his company Info Telecom.
A key figure in this operation is Adrian Shatku, who is believed to represent the interests of Meta and Kryemadhi within UNIFI Holdings. The investigation suggests a hierarchical relationship between the couple and the company. Info Telecom, directed by Marin Gjonaj and Anisa Skëndaj, allegedly facilitated the technical integration of UNIFI’s equipment with Vodafone’s network, allowing UNIFI to profit from the arrangement.
According to the newspaper Korrieri, Marin Gjonaj has been questioned by the National Bureau of Investigation (BKH) regarding his dealings with Adrian Shatku. In his testimony, Gjonaj shifted the responsibility onto his business partner, Anisa Skëndaj, daughter of the well-known businessman Marsel Skëndo. He claimed that Skëndaj managed the company’s domestic operations, including contracts and finances, distancing himself from direct accountability.
SPAK’s disclosed communications reveal that Monika Kryemadhi and Adrian Shatku discussed Gjonaj’s role and Info Telecom’s involvement in enabling UNIFI’s technical connections with Vodafone for international call transit. Prior to UNIFI’s involvement in this lucrative market, two individuals, Theodhori Çami and Marin Gjonaj, played essential roles. Çami served as a middleman between Vodafone executives, while Gjonaj acted as the technical intermediary, facilitating the integration of equipment that allowed Meta, Kryemadhi, and Shatku to profit by hundreds of thousands of euros monthly, leveraging their influence.
International Call Transit: How It Works
International call transit involves the interconnection of two telephone networks, allowing calls to pass from one network to another. For example, Vodafone UK connects to Vodafone Albania through a third-party operator, known as a transit operator, which handles the transmission between the two networks. Vodafone Albania charges the transit operator for the minutes it receives, while the transit operator, in turn, charges the originating telephone company, but at a higher rate than Vodafone Albania’s charge. Thus, the transit operator must have agreements with both companies simultaneously.
Controversial Businessman Involved
Marin Gjonaj, already known to law enforcement, has had a controversial past. Two years ago, he was wanted by police for the illegal construction of a Bitcoin farm in Durrës. /Korrieri
Albanian Businessman Marin Gjonaj involved in SPAK (Special Prosecution) case against ex-Presindet Ilir Meta and his wife Monika Kryemadhi regarding Vodafone
