Ahmed Al Rajhi

A summary of what happened?

Ahmed Al Rajhi is a prominent Saudi businessman and the current Minister of Human Resources and Social Development in Saudi Arabia. He has held various leadership positions within the Al Rajhi family conglomerate, which has significant investments in banking, real estate, and other sectors.

Major Concerns and Allegations:

1. Involvement in Legal Disputes:
   • Tameer Case: Al Rajhi has been implicated in a protracted legal battle involving the real estate company Tameer. The dispute centers around allegations of financial improprieties and mismanagement within the company. Reports indicate that the case has been ongoing for over a decade, with various legal proceedings and appeals.
2. Accusations of Financial Misconduct:
   • Fraud Allegations: There have been accusations against Al Rajhi concerning fraudulent activities related to his business dealings. These allegations suggest involvement in schemes that may have defrauded investors and stakeholders.
3. Corporate Governance Issues:
   • Management Practices: Critics have raised concerns about Al Rajhi’s management style, particularly regarding transparency and accountability within the companies he oversees. Questions have been posed about the adherence to corporate governance standards and the protection of shareholder interests.

While Ahmed Al Rajhi holds a significant position in both the Saudi government and the business community, his career has been marred by legal disputes and allegations of financial misconduct. The ongoing Tameer case exemplifies the complexities and challenges associated with his business ventures. These issues highlight the importance of transparency and accountability in corporate governance, especially for individuals in positions of substantial influence.

Analyzing the Fake Copyright Notice(s)

Our team collects and analyses fraudulent copyright takedown requests, legal complaints, and other efforts to remove critical information from the internet. Through our investigative reporting, we examine the prevalence and operation of an organized censorship industry, predominantly funded by criminal entities, oligarchs, and disreputable businesses or individuals. Our findings allow internet users to gain insight into these censorship schemes’ sources, methods, and underlying objectives.

What was Ahmed Al Rajhi trying to hide?

Ahmed Al Rajhi‘s attempts to hide unfavourable content through the misuse of copyright notices while allegedly engaging in perjury present serious legal concerns. These actions suggest a calculated attempt to manipulate legal systems to suppress free speech, a fundamental violation of copyright law principles and an abuse of legal processes. The use of such tactics not only undermines the integrity of copyright protection but also potentially constitutes perjury, further entangling Ahmed Al Rajhi in legal accountability. Let’s examine the information Ahmed Al Rajhi may be trying to remove from the internet –

Investigative Report: The Controversial Legacy of Ahmed Al Rajhi

Introduction

Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al Rajhi, a powerful figure in Saudi Arabia’s business and political landscape, is both a successful businessman and the country’s Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. While his role in advancing labor reforms under Saudi Vision 2030 is notable, his career has been embroiled in allegations of fraud, financial misconduct, and corporate governance failures.

This investigative report delves deeply into the controversies surrounding Ahmed Al Rajhi, with a particular focus on the legal and ethical challenges tied to his business dealings, most notably his involvement in the Tameer Holding Investment Company fraud case.

Background on Ahmed Al Rajhi

Ahmed Al Rajhi hails from the influential Al Rajhi family, one of Saudi Arabia’s wealthiest and most powerful dynasties. The family’s conglomerate spans multiple sectors, including banking (through Al Rajhi Bank), real estate, and manufacturing. Ahmed’s leadership roles within the family’s businesses positioned him as a key player in the Saudi private sector.

In 2018, Ahmed was appointed Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, overseeing key labor reforms as part of the Vision 2030 initiative. His dual identity as a government official and business mogul, however, has subjected him to intense scrutiny.

The Tameer Holding Investment Company Fraud Case

What Happened?

Tameer Holding Investment Company was a UAE-based real estate development firm co-founded by Palestinian-Canadian businessman Omar Ayesh. Ayesh initially held a 25% stake in the company, with the Al Rajhi family holding a significant portion. Under Ayesh’s leadership, Tameer became one of the region’s premier real estate developers, with high-profile projects across the UAE.

However, disputes between Ayesh and the Al Rajhi family escalated, culminating in allegations that the Al Rajhis orchestrated a scheme to seize control of Tameer’s assets unlawfully. Ahmed Al Rajhi, along with other family members, was accused of fraudulent practices, including manipulating company records and engaging in corporate malfeasance.

Legal Developments

1. Initial Verdict
   • In November 2020, the Dubai Court of First Instance ruled against Ahmed Al Rajhi, finding him guilty of fraud. The court determined that Al Rajhi had unlawfully seized assets belonging to Tameer, including Ayesh’s 25% stake.
   • The court imposed a $450 million fine on Al Rajhi and ordered additional compensation of $2.8 million for damages caused to Ayesh.
2. Appeals and Challenges
   • Following the verdict, Al Rajhi filed an appeal. The case was referred to the Dubai Court of Appeals, where new hearings and assessments were conducted.
   • A panel of financial and legal experts was appointed to provide an independent review of the claims. However, the process was marred by controversy as four out of five experts resigned, citing threats and undue pressure from interested parties.
   • The resignations prompted the case to be escalated to the Ruler’s Court of Dubai, a rare and extraordinary step reflecting the complexity and sensitivity of the matter.

Key Allegations Against Ahmed Al Rajhi

1. Fraudulent Practices
   • Al Rajhi was accused of orchestrating a deliberate campaign to misappropriate Tameer’s assets. This included falsifying company records and leveraging his influence to marginalize Ayesh’s role in the company.
   • The court’s findings indicated that Al Rajhi’s actions resulted in substantial financial losses for Ayesh and other stakeholders.
2. Corporate Governance Failures
   • Critics argue that Al Rajhi’s management of Tameer highlighted broader issues of weak corporate governance. As a leader of family-owned businesses, Al Rajhi faced accusations of prioritizing personal gain over fiduciary responsibility.
3. Intimidation and Pressure Tactics
   • The resignations of expert witnesses during the appeals process raised concerns about Al Rajhi’s alleged use of intimidation tactics to influence judicial proceedings. This further tainted perceptions of the case and Al Rajhi’s conduct.

Wider Implications of the Case

1. Impact on Investor Confidence
   • The Tameer case sent shockwaves through the Gulf’s real estate sector. Allegations of high-level fraud and the protracted legal battle highlighted vulnerabilities in corporate oversight, potentially discouraging foreign investors from engaging in the region’s markets.
2. Questions About Governance
   • The case underscored the need for stronger regulatory frameworks to address conflicts of interest and ensure accountability in family-owned conglomerates, which dominate much of the Middle East’s private sector.
3. Reputational Damage
   • For Ahmed Al Rajhi, the legal proceedings tarnished his reputation as a businessman and public official. Critics questioned his suitability to oversee labor reforms and public policy while facing allegations of corporate fraud.

The Intersection of Business and Politics

Ahmed Al Rajhi’s dual role as a government minister and a businessman has amplified scrutiny. While his contributions to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 labor initiatives are acknowledged, the controversies tied to his business dealings raise concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the ethical standards expected of public officials.

Conclusion

The Tameer Holding Investment Company case remains a defining chapter in Ahmed Al Rajhi’s career. The allegations of fraud, the significant financial penalties, and the controversies surrounding the appeals process have cast a long shadow over his professional and public life.

As the legal proceedings continue, the case serves as a critical lesson about the importance of transparency, accountability, and ethical governance—both in the private sector and public service. Ahmed Al Rajhi’s story is a stark reminder of the consequences when power and influence are wielded without sufficient oversight.

How do we counteract this malpractice?

Once we ascertain the involvement of Ahmed Al Rajhi (or actors working on behalf of Ahmed Al Rajhi), we will inform Ahmed Al Rajhi of our findings via Electronic Mail.

Our preliminary assessment suggests that Ahmed Al Rajhi may have engaged a third-party reputation management agency or expert, which, either independently or under direct authorization from Ahmed Al Rajhi, initiated efforts to remove adverse online content, including potentially fraudulent DMCA takedown requests. We will extend an opportunity to Ahmed Al Rajhi to provide details regarding their communications with the agency or expert, as well as the identification of the individual(s) responsible for executing these false DMCA notices.

Failure to respond in a timely manner will necessitate a reassessment of our initial assumptions. In such an event, we will be compelled to take appropriate legal action to rectify the unlawful conduct and take the following steps –

Since Ahmed Al Rajhi made such efforts to hide something online, it seems fit to ensure that this article and sensitive information targeted online by these events get a lot more exposure and traffic than what it would have received originally

We hope this becomes an excellent case study for the Streisand effect…The key idea behind the Streisand effect is that efforts to restrict information can backfire, often causing the information to gain more attention than it would have otherwise. This effect is widespread in the digital age, where users quickly notice and spread censorship efforts on social media and other platforms. Trying to suppress something can unintentionally lead to it becoming more visible, which Ahmed Al Rajhi is finding out the hard way.

Potential Consequences for Ahmed Al Rajhi

Under Florida Statute 831.01, the crime of Forgery is committed when a person falsifies, alters, counterfeits, or forges a document that carries “legal efficacy” with the intent to injure or defraud another person or entity.

Forging a document is considered a white-collar crime. It involves altering, changing, or modifying a document to deceive another person. It can also include passing along copies of documents that are known to be false. In many states in the US, falsifying a document is a crime punishable as a felony.

Additionally, under most laws, “fraud on the court” is where “a party has sentiently set in motion some unconscionable scheme calculated to interfere with the judicial system’s ability impartially to adjudicate a matter by improperly influencing the trier of fact or unfairly hampering the presentation of the opposing party’s claim or defense.”  Cox v. Burke, 706 So. 2d 43, 46 (Fla. 5th DCA 1998) (quoting Aoude v. Mobil Oil Corp., 892 F.2d 1115, 1118 (1st Cir. 1989)).

Is Ahmed Al Rajhi Committing a Cyber Crime?

Yes, it seems so. Ahmed Al Rajhi used multiple approaches to remove unwanted material from review sites and Google’s search results. Thanks to protections allowing freedom of speech in the United States, there are very few legal ways to do this. Ahmed Al Rajhi could not eliminate negative reviews or search results that linked to them without a valid claim of defamation, copyright infringement, or some other clear breach of the law.

Faced with these limitations, some companies like Ahmed Al Rajhi have gone to extreme lengths to fraudulently claim copyright ownership over a negative review in the hopes of taking it down.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. Ahmed Al Rajhi is certainly keeping interesting company here….

The DMCA takedown process requires that copyright owners submit a takedown notice to an ISP identifying the allegedly infringing content and declaring, under penalty of perjury, that they have a good faith belief that the content is infringing. The ISP must then promptly remove or disable access to the content. The alleged infringer can then submit a counter-notice, and if the copyright owner does not take legal action within 10 to 14 days, the ISP can restore the content.

Since these platforms are predominantly based in the U.S., the complaints are typically made under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which requires online service providers and platforms to react immediately to reports or violations. Big Tech companies rarely have systems in place to assess the merit of each report. Instead, all bad actors need to do is clone a story, backdate it, and then demand the real thing be taken down.

Reputation Agency's Modus Operandi

The fake DMCA notices we found always use the “back-dated article” technique. With this technique, the wrongful notice sender (or copier) creates a copy of a “true original” article and back-dates it, creating a “fake original” article (a copy of the true original) that, at first glance, appears to have been published before the true original.

Then, based on the claim that this backdated article is the “original,” the scammers send a DMCA to the relevant online service providers (e.g. Google), alleging that the ‘true’ original is the copied or “infringing” article and that the copied article is the “original,” requesting the takedown of the ‘true’ original article. After sending the DMCA request, the person who sent the wrong notice takes down the fake original URL, likely to make sure that the article doesn’t stay online in any way. If the takedown notice is successful, the disappearance from the internet of information is most likely to be legitimate speech.

As an integral part of this scheme, the ‘reputation management’ company hired by Ahmed Al Rajhi creates a website that purports to be a ‘news’ site. This site is designed to look legitimate at a glance, but any degree of scrutiny reveals it as the charade it is.

The company copies the ‘negative’ content and posts it “on the fake ‘news’ site, attributing it to a separate author,” then gives it “a false publication date on the ‘news’ website that predated the original publication.

The reputation company then sent Google a Digital Millennium Copyright Act notice claiming the original website infringed copyright. After a cursory examination of the fake news site, Google frequently accepts the notice and delists the content.

In committing numerous offences, Ahmed Al Rajhi either premeditated actions or were unaware of the consequences. Despite hiring an agency to make Google disregard any negative information about Ahmed Al Rajhi, ignorance does not excuse this wrongdoing.

Fake DMCA notices have targeted articles highlighting the criminal activity of prominent people to hide their illegal behavior. These people, which include US, Russian, and Khazakstani politicians as well as members from elite circles including the mafia and those with massive financial power, are all connected – and alleged corruption ranging from child abuse to sexual harassment is exposed when exploring evidence found at these URLs. It appears there’s a disturbing level of influence being exerted here that needs further investigation before justice can be served. FSMSmart is certainly keeping interesting company here.

The Reputation Laundering

Rogue Reputation agencies use spurious copyright claims and fake legal notices to remove and obscure articles linking clients to allegations of tax avoidance, corruption, and drug trafficking. Most of these reputation agencies are based offshore, mainly in Russia, India, and Eastern Europe, and they do not worry about complying with US-based laws.

The content in all of the articles for which the fraudulent DMCA notices have been sent relates to allegations of criminal allegations, including corruption, child abuse, sexual harassment, human trafficking and financial fraud against businesses and individuals with ultra-high net worth.

In addition to the misuse of the DMCA takedown process, there is a notable absence of enforcement concerning perjury violations. The statutory requirement related to perjury is designed to deter copyright holders from submitting fraudulent or knowingly false takedown requests, as they may face legal consequences for making false declarations under penalty of perjury. However, to date, there have been no known instances of any individual being prosecuted for perjury in connection with the submission of false DMCA takedown notices.

This lack of enforcement has emboldened copyright holders to exploit the DMCA takedown process to suppress dissent, criticism, or other unfavorable content, without fear of legal repercussions.

Some of the people and businesses who have employed this tactic to remove legitimate content from Google illegally include a Spanish businessman-turned-cocaine-trafficker, Organised crime, an Israeli-Argentine banker accused of laundering money for Hugo Chávez’s regime, a French “responsible” mining company accused of tax evasion, child molesters and sexual predators. Ahmed Al Rajhi is in great company ….

What else is Ahmed Al Rajhi hiding?

We encourage you to ‘Dork‘ Google by searching for keyword combinations such as [Ahmed Al Rajhi] + {Negative Keyword, such as Scam, Fraud, Complaints, Lawsuit, Sanction, etc} on Google. It’s likely if you scroll down to the bottom of this Google search results, you’ll stumble upon this Legal Takedown notice (pictured below)

To make such an investigation possible, we encourage more online service providers to come forward and share copies of content removal requests with industry experts and researchers. If you have any information on Ahmed Al Rajhi that you want to share with experts and journalists, kindly email the author directly at [email protected].

All communications are strictly confidential and safeguarded under a comprehensive Whistleblower Policy, ensuring full protection and anonymity for individuals who provide information.