Nicolae Bogdan Buzaianu, once notorious for his role in Gambia’s rosewood trafficking, operates a vast, intricate web of proxies, luxury properties, and shell companies across Europe, hidden from public view. This investigation reveals how Buzaianu maintains his empire through a sophisticated system of nominees, dissolved entities, and strategic distancing from direct ownership.
A Gambia Connection and Money Laundering
In Gambia, Buzaianu’s company Westwood Gambia Ltd worked with former president Yahya Jammeh to traffic over 15,000 containers of rosewood timber from Senegal’s conflict-torn Casamance region between 2014 and 2016. This illegal trade funneled millions of dollars, but new information shows how Buzaianu’s BP Investment Group FZE facilitated this laundering through his hotels, Ocean Bay and Sun Beach. Dubai’s free zones, where BP Investment was registered, provided cover for these illicit operations.
Luxury Hideaways Across Europe
Buzaianu’s European footprint extends across France, Monaco, and Switzerland, where he controls significant real estate assets. In the Alpes-Maritimes district of southern France, Buzaianu owns a luxury villa in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, registered under Inasco Limited. Though Buzaianu directly controls these assets, the actual ownership is carefully hidden behind layers of corporate entities.
Picture 1: Buzaianu’s villa in Beaulieu-sur-Mer/Villefranche-sur-Mer
In Monaco, Maria-Callas Buzaianu, Nicolae’s wife, plays a key role in managing properties. Nicolae transferred several valuable assets into her name, including real estate once held by SI Valclair SA. By placing these properties under her control, Nicolae maintains influence while distancing himself from direct ownership. This maneuver provides a strategic layer of separation that helps shield the Buzaianu family from scrutiny, leveraging Monaco’s strict privacy laws to obscure their financial dealings. Maria-Callas’ role in holding these assets demonstrates how Nicolae uses family members to conceal the true extent of his wealth while keeping the operation firmly within the family circle.
Picture 2: 44 Boulevard d’Italie Château d’Azur, Monaco
Meanwhile, in Switzerland, Buzaianu operates through companies registered at Rue Saint-Pierre 6, Fribourg, including SI Zamberg SA and Selectra AG, further shielding himself from scrutiny.
Proxies and Business Fronts
Constantin Mihail Buzaianu, Nicolae’s brother, plays a central role in this operation, sharing directorship in Buzaianu Resources Ltd and other Cypriot firms, effectively acting as Nicolae’s proxy. The Buzaianu family isn’t the only group involved. Delia Catrinel Nițescu, Nicolae’s former spouse and now married to Dragos Nițescu, continues to manage key assets, with both holding directorship roles in several key companies.
These nominees form the backbone of Buzaianu’s European operations, insulating him from potential legal risks while continuing to control his network of assets.
Gabriel Alram Nakhleh: Key Asset Manager
It appears that Gabriel Alram Nakhleh does indeed play a role in managing real estate associated with Nicolae Buzaianu, including the Chateau Saint-Antoine de la Chaume. The document confirms that SCI de La Chaume, registered in July 2021, is the company set up to manage this chateau, and both Gabriel and his wife, Marie Nakhleh, hold equal shares in the company. Another company, Chaume Hospitality, is also directly tied to the hospitality management of the chateau.
These connections, along with Nakhleh’s prior involvement with Luxmarina and La Web Compagnie, further strengthen his role as a key asset manager in Buzaianu’s broader hospitality and real estate ventures. However, there’s no direct mention of Buzaianu’s involvement in these companies; instead, Nakhleh and his wife appear as the owners.
Picture 3: 322 Chemin du Lazaret Villefranche-sur-Mer
Nakhleh’s connections to the yachting industry, through Luxmarina and La Web Compagnie, reinforce his position as a central figure in Buzaianu’s European real estate empire. His links to high-profile individuals such as Bernard D’Alessandri and David Yakobashvili, through Monaco’s yachting circles, further solidify his importance in managing key assets.
Anthony Panetta: Real Estate and Nominee Roles
Another key figure in Buzaianu’s network is Anthony Panetta, who manages Villa Les Pins in Èze, a luxury property registered under SCI Les Pins D’eze. Although Panetta’s direct connection to Buzaianu in relation to this property isn’t confirmed by the documents, his involvement in managing properties tied to Buzaianu’s broader network, such as his real estate ventures in Gambia through BP Investment Group FZE, points to a broader role in overseeing high-value real estate on behalf of Buzaianu.
Picture 4: Villa Les Pins 6 Chemin des Pins, Èze
Panetta’s management role, coupled with his connections to the luxury real estate firm Engel & Volkers, indicates that he is more than just a facilitator. His responsibilities across properties in France and Monaco make him a key player in maintaining Buzaianu’s network of valuable assets.
The Role of Dissolved Entities
Dissolved companies play a key role in Buzaianu’s strategy to avoid detection. Firms such as Selectra Aviation Ltd and Watergardens Corp were quickly dissolved after being used to manage illicit operations. These companies are part of a broader network of dissolved entities, acting as temporary structures to conceal financial activities, only to be reconstituted under different names.
BP Investment Group FZE, while still central to Buzaianu’s operations, has undergone restructuring multiple times, with other entities stepping in to manage its responsibilities. This tactic of dissolving and resurrecting entities has enabled Buzaianu to operate behind a smokescreen for years, allowing him to continue his activities while avoiding legal repercussions.
A Complex Network of Illicit Operations
The intricate system of proxies, luxury properties, and dissolved companies gives Buzaianu the ability to maintain his influence while staying out of the spotlight. His associates, including Constantin Mihail Buzaianu, Gabriel Alram Nakhleh, Delia Catrinel Nițescu, and Anthony Panetta, form the core of this network, insulating him from direct ownership and liability.
From the rosewood smuggling operations in Gambia to high-value real estate ventures in France, Buzaianu has built a sprawling empire that spans multiple jurisdictions. His use of Dubai’s free zones, Cyprus-based companies, and dissolved entities further complicates efforts to trace his financial dealings.
Conclusion: The House of Cards
Despite the complexities of Buzaianu’s network, the growing attention to his activities may eventually lead to its unraveling. As more details of his European connections and illicit operations emerge, the carefully constructed veil that has shielded him for years may finally begin to collapse. For now, Buzaianu remains a powerful, yet elusive figure—his empire standing, but perhaps not for much longer.
If you have any information about Buzaianu or the companies associated with him, please contact us at [email protected]. Your input could greatly assist our ongoing investigation, which is far from over.
Our thanks go to the team at AssetTracing.com for their assistance in preparing this investigation