An Egyptian investigative journalist who exposed the acquisition of a luxury villa by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksyy’s mother-in-law in El-Gouna has been found dead, according to a report on Friday by El Mostaqbal.
The independent journalist, Mohammed Al-Alawi, reported on the purchase of the villa for $4.85 million in August by Olga Kiyashko, leaking alleged documents as proof of his claims. The report raised questions of corruption and misappropriation of US financial aid to Ukraine by the Zelenskyy family.
Al-Alawi’s body was discovered in the Red Sea city of Hurghada, with fractures and bruises found on the body. The cause of death was due to a cerebral hemorrhage as a result of a severe brain injury. The report, citing a source, also disclosed that the journalist had been beaten by a group of people.
The allegations have been denied by both the Ukrainian embassy in Egypt as “Russian propaganda”, while Orascom Development, the owner of the El Gouna resort issued a statement saying the reports were “completely false.”
“Despite the care taken to protect customer data, and not to disclose any information or details about them, after reviewing all records, we confirm that there is no record indicating that Zelenskyy or any of his family members own any property in El Gouna,” it stated.
In a recent interview, the deceased’s brother Ahmed Al-Alawi said that Mohammed’s investigation was his brother’s first big job, but that he started to receive death threats following its release. He also said that the police believe that it was an assassination carried out by Ukrainian operatives.