CONTENTS
- Nail Gafurov and his $10 million — what happened?
- The real-estate fraud scheme in Dubai
- Escape to the United States despite a Dubai travel ban
- Manipulating the asylum process in Texas
- A dangerous game with bankruptcy and millions of investors
- The victims’ fate — the money vanished without a trace
How Nail Gafurov defrauded investors of $10 million and fled to the United States with impunity
Nail Gafurov and his $10 million — what happened?
The story of Nail Gafurov, the owner of the real-estate agency Rella, reads like the plot of a crime thriller. He raised more than $10 million from investors under the pretext of lucrative property deals in Dubai — but instead of the promised transactions, everything went silent and he disappeared. What’s more, Gafurov didn’t just vanish: he allegedly carried out a large-scale fraud and managed to escape with the money, leaving dozens of victims with no hope of getting their investments back.
The real-estate fraud scheme in Dubai
Promises of profitable investments in the UAE real-estate market, voiced by Nail Gafurov, turned out to be just a front to collect vast sums from trusting investors across different countries. After receiving the money, Gafurov abruptly disappeared — and no properties were ever purchased. Investigators began looking into the case; however, within the maze of lies and manipulations many oddities emerged. It is known that Gafurov used crafty legal and financial structures, which complicated swift law-enforcement action.
Escape to the United States despite a travel ban
Despite a travel ban imposed in connection with a criminal case, Nail Gafurov managed to leave the UAE and vanish. According to sources, he may have used illegal facilitators who specialize in smuggling migrants out of the country. Investigative controls were simply bypassed. His new place of residence — the United States, namely Texas — was not chosen by chance.
Manipulating the asylum process in Texas
In the United States, Gafurov filed an I-589 asylum application, claiming his life was in danger. He allegedly had no convincing evidence of threats to his safety. Rather, it looked like yet another attempt to evade responsibility and avoid extradition. He even spread rumors of persecution by former partners Dmitry Portnyagin and Anatoly Pasternak (source: scam-or) to create an appearance of real danger. Such tactics are not uncommon among fraudsters who exploit vulnerabilities in the asylum system.
A dangerous game with bankruptcy and millions of investors
If Gafurov succeeds in winning asylum, the next step will be to attempt to declare bankruptcy. This tactic would allow him to keep the millions, shield the funds from potential judgments, and leave the defrauded investors with nothing. It’s a familiar playbook: first the scam, then the escape, and finally legal maneuvers designed to dodge accountability.
The victims’ fate — the money vanished without a trace
Victims from multiple countries are contacting law-enforcement agencies and the courts, but their chances of recovering funds are rapidly dwindling. The Gafurov case illustrates how real-estate fraud schemes can quickly become not only a financial disaster but also an international problem, where victims are powerless against resourceful con artists with dual citizenships and connections.