Belgian ‘Black Prince’ Loses Five Luxury Hotels in Colombia Money Laundering Investigation
Colombian authorities have seized 11 luxury properties belonging to Belgian Prince Henri de Croÿ-Solre, known as the “Black Prince,” including five boutique hotels in the tourist hotspot of Cartagena and the island of Barú. The operation, carried out on May 14 by Colombia’s Special Assets Society (SAE) and the Attorney General’s Office, also netted a fleet of vehicles and a commercial company as part of a major international money laundering investigation.
The Seizure
The assets were taken under Colombia’s “extinción de dominio” (asset forfeiture) laws, which allow authorities to confiscate property suspected of being acquired with illicit funds. According to HLN, the seized properties include five boutique hotels in Cartagena’s historic center and on Barú Island, alongside high-end SUVs, motorcycles, and a commercial company.
The hotels — Casa Barú, Casa Córdoba Estrella, Casa Córdoba Román, Casa Córdoba Cabal, and Casa Córdoba Cuartel — will remain open but under temporary state administration while a judge determines whether they should be permanently forfeited.
Who Is the ‘Black Prince’?
Henri de Croÿ-Solre, born September 28, 1958, in Nevers, France, belongs to the princely House of Croÿ, one of Europe’s most distinguished noble families. He holds a law degree, served as a sub-lieutenant in the Belgian Air Force, and resides in Switzerland and England with his Colombian wife and three children.
His nickname “Black Prince” stems from his alleged involvement in shadowy financial activities. In 2007, he co-founded Helin, a wealth management firm targeting wealthy entrepreneurs, Russian oligarchs, and footballers. According to Wikipedia, he was convicted of fraud in Belgium in 2012 but acquitted on appeal in 2015 after a 17-year legal battle.
The Dubai Papers Connection
The Colombian asset seizure is the latest chapter in a sprawling international scandal known as the “Dubai Papers.” In September 2018, French magazine L’Obs published approximately 200,000 leaked documents exposing a sophisticated system of tax evasion and money laundering operated through Helin.
Investigations by Radio France and others revealed that Helin used offshore companies, shell corporations in the British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates to help wealthy European clients hide millions of euros. The operation charged clients approximately 10% in fees to move black money through techniques including anonymous prepaid credit cards allowing cash withdrawals up to €250,000.
In July 2025, the French prosecutor’s office announced its intention to prosecute 25 individuals in connection with the Dubai Papers, including Prince Henri de Croÿ and his brother Emmanuel. As HLN reported, they face charges of complicity in tax fraud, organized money laundering, and criminal association.
The Colombian Connection
Investigators uncovered that just three months after the Dubai Papers revelations, two new companies — Falur Corp. and Persoc Group Inc. — were created in Panama. These companies were used to acquire the Cartagena hotels at prices far below market value.
According to Colombian investigative outlet O7O of the Universidad de Los Andes, Persoc Group acquired three hotels in a single day for approximately 7 billion Colombian pesos — well below market value. Five months later, Persoc acquired Casa Barú, a 12,000 m² beach resort, for just 179 million pesos — a price investigators described as “ridiculous.” The prince’s name does not appear directly on any transaction documents, but his associates do.
Broader Implications
The seizure represents a major blow to de Croÿ’s South American real estate empire and demonstrates Colombia’s capacity to pursue high-profile international asset forfeiture cases. For Belgium, the case highlights the international reach of financial crime networks linked to its citizens. The VRT NWS reported that Belgian federal police had already conducted raids in 2021 as part of the Dubai Papers investigation.
De Croÿ has consistently denied involvement in money laundering, characterizing Helin’s activities as legitimate “fiscal optimization.” In a statement to Swiss newspaper Le Matin, he said: “The Helin group engages in asset management and uses fiscal optimization… That may not be morally responsible according to some, but it is not prohibited by law.”
What’s Next
A Colombian judge will now determine whether the seized properties should be permanently forfeited. Meanwhile, the French prosecution of de Croÿ and 24 others remains ongoing. The case raises questions about whether additional hidden assets belonging to the prince exist in other South American countries, and whether Belgian tax authorities will take further action following the Colombian revelations.