$30M Beverly Hills mansion owned by Kurdish general caught in military fraud scheme faces seizure

Federal authorities are trying to seize a palatial $30 million Beverly Hills mansion after filing a civil complaint alleging its Kurdish general owner defrauded the government to buy it.

The property is owned by Mansour Barzani, who purchased it in 2018 and later renovated it for $30 million.

The Department of Justice accuses Barzani of being involved in bribery scheme with a Virginia-based defense contractor that obtained more than $700 million from the Department of Defense’s Defense Logistics Agency for fuel deliveries in the US fight against ISIS during Operation Inherent Resolve.

Officers for the contractor used the government money to bribe Barzani for exclusive access to deliver jet fuel in Kurdistan for the US military and coalition forces at Erbil International Airport.

Barzani received “hundreds of millions of dollars” in government contracts, via a $0.25-per-liter-of-fuel bribe, authorities said.

The contractor’s officers acknowledged the pressure of losing the contract if they couldn’t deliver the fuel, according to the complaint.

“[I]f we don’t deliver, it’s a failure on our part and we lose the contract. Right [now] we are looking like a snake without a head to [Defense Logistics Agency],” the officer said.

Barzani allegedly transferred the money to a trust in order to buy and renovate the Beverly Hills manse at 945 Foothill Road.

The property — which has four bedrooms and eight bathrooms over 10,000 square feet — was purchased for $20 million in 2018. Barzani’s mansion is now valued at about $28.5 million, according to Zillow.

Deputy Chief Michael B. Redmann and Senior Trial Attorney Steven Parker of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are handling the case with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs providing an assist.

Barzani is the son of former Kurdistan President Masoud Barzani and the younger brother of current Kurdistan Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.

The California Post contacted the Justice Department for additional comment.

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