A penthouse valued at $51.9 million, belonging to Kolawole Aluko, Nigerian oil mogul based in the United States, is currently up for sale for a “motivated” price of $39 million, ThisDay has reported.
The property, according to The Cable, is believed to be part of the proceeds of “shady” oil contracts also involving a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and another businessman, Jide Omokore.
The trio, who are on the radar of the US department of justice for alleged money laundering, risk the forfeiture of at least $144million worth of assets regarded as proceeds of crime.
Aluko was said to have bought the luxurious apartment in New York City for $51.9million in 2014.
He was, however, forced to obtain a $35.5million mortgage facility from Luxembourg bank to pay for the apartment.
Court documents showed his failure to pay back the loan a year later led to the bank taking possession of the 6,420-square-foot apartment.
“The home was in foreclosure, but it is now being sold by a third party as an alternative to foreclosure,” a source close to the property told New York Post, adding that Aluko “has nothing to do” with the sale.
He is yet to officially react to the fraud allegations as he is said to be evading arrest since the US Department of Justice initiated proceedings on the alleged crimes.
