No connections with the Artur brothers: Adeeb

Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb has said that he has no connections with Armenian alleged conmen, the Artur brothers.

Adeeb expressed sadness in an interview with Sun Online tonight over the baseless media reports regarding this issue.

“Information about this issue is being spread by the media rather negatively. I have no links with them,” he said.

Adeeb said that he met the brothers at a race in Hulhumale’ organized by the Racing Association.

“They met with us in Hulhumale’. They told us that they were defrauded by some senior officials of the former government [former President Nasheed’s government], who took large sums of money from them for investment in the Maldives,” he said.

Defence Minister Ahmed Nazim also refuted claims that he has links with the Artur brothers.

Rumours about Adeeb and Nazim having links with the Artur brothers were sparked by a photo currently being shared in social media networks. The photo, taken during a race in Hulhumale’, shows Adeeb and Nazim with two people who allegedly are the Artur brothers.

Adeeb said that to the best of his knowledge, it was only one Artur brother who visited Maldives. He said that the brother who visited the Maldives has also now left the country.

Adeeb expressed sadness over media reports based on such unsubstantiated information that is shared through social media.

“If you want to know the truth about who has links with the Artur brothers, you should find out who the shareholders are of the company established by them in the Maldives. It’s not right that Haveeru reports everything that’s shared on social media. The photo showing [me with] the Artur brothers was taken at an even that was open to the public,” he said.