UK magazine alleges Afghan aid funds were channeled into London souvenir shops — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): A British magazine, in an investigative report, has alleged that a network of Afghan businessmen used gift and confectionery shops in the United Kingdom to launder aid money allegedly taken out of Afghanistan years ago, failed to pay taxes, and avoided debts through the repeated dissolution and re-establishment of companies. However, one of the network’s main businessmen, Ghulam Sarwar Afzali, has strongly denied all of these allegations. Pajhwok cannot independently verify these claims. The British magazine “The Fence” claimed in a recent investigative report that a network of Afghan businessmen built an extensive chain of souvenir shops, American candy stores, and unofficial “Harry Potter” shops in London and several other British cities, and that these businesses may have been used to invest money from international aid funds removed from Afghanistan. The report, titled “The Graveyard of Empires,” was written by journalist Cormac Kehoe and published on July 16, 2026. It claims to be based on business records, company financial accounts, property registrations, an audio recording, and interviews with various sources. Pajhwok has not independently verified the allegations in the report. Establishment of the “LaModa” Company According to The Fence report, LaModa UK Limited was the central company of this business network. The company was established on June 6, 2006, by Ghulam Sarwar Afzali, Mohammad Jan Sakizadeh, and Nasser…