Exclusive | Sheikh who owns $400M Qatari jet gifted to Trump is embroiled in $20M luxury hotel spat
The Qatari sheikh who is gifting a $400 million plane that’s slated to become President Donald Trump’s next Air Force One has previously faced allegations of corruption and antisemitism — and is now embroiled in a $20 million legal dispute over a string of luxury hotels, The Post has learned.A Boeing 747-8 jet that has been dubbed a “flying palace” is owned by the Qatari royal family.It still carries the initials of one of its leading members — Qatar’s former prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim, also known as HBJ, in its tail number, aviation records show.The 66-year-old royal — worth an estimated $4 billion according to Forbes — has been branded the “Thief of Doha” by a Washington think tank, and allegedly brought senior members of Hamas to the Qatari capital.
He was accused by the DOJ of presiding over bribery and corruption when he led the bid to bring the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.HBJ also drew controversy last year over an antisemitic tirade in an interview with Kuwati media outlet Al-Qabas.“Imagine oil was sold by some Jews…what would be the price of a barrel oil? It would be the most expensive thing in the world,” the former Qatari PM was quoted as saying.Meanwhile, HBJ is now facing a fresh lawsuit from Irish property developer Paddy McKillen, who owns the Church of Oak whiskey distillery 40 miles southwest of Dublin with Irish rock legend Bono of U2.The Belfast-born hotelier has accused the Gulf state’s monarchy in Los Angeles federal court of “a lawless plot” to rip him off after he masterminded the expansion of a string of five-star hotels.The complaint, filed late last month, focuses on a claim that three Qatari royals led by HBJ tricked McKillen and his firm Hume Street Management Consultants (HSMC) into spending “significant resources” under “false pretenses” to upgrade four upmarket properties.The civil suit for $20 million in damages and interest is being brought under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt O...