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Amer Abdulaziz, has been accused of stealing €100 million before he launched his global racehorse ownership enterprise.
The Racing Post reported Abdulaziz was implicated in a major money-laundering operation for an international cryptocurrency fraud.
Konstantin Ignatov, the co-founder of fake cryptocurrency company OneCoin, made the claim during his testimony under oath at the trial of US lawyer Mark Scott, who last week was found guilty of fraud and laundering US$400m in illegal funds for the OneCoin founders.
The Dubai-based Abdulaziz, 56, launched Phoenix Thoroughbreds in 2017 as the "world's first regulated thoroughbred fund".
Starting off with horses in training in Newmarket with Jeremy Noseda, Phoenix Thoroughbreds has grown to an estimated 300 horses including stallions and broodmares with 27 trainers on five continents, according to its website.
They own a number of high-profile horses in partnership in Australia including the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Manikato Stakes (Group 1) winner Loving Gaby as well as fellow Group 1 winner Exceedance. The operation celebrated a first homebred success earlier this month when juvenile colt Farnan ran out the impressive winner on debut at Canberra for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Phoneix Thoroughbreds have also been a dominant force at the sales in Australia. At the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January the operation were involved in a number of expensive purchases, buying 6 in partnership with Aquis Farms for $5 million as well as 3 on their own for $710,000. In Sydney at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, the operation purchased a further 5 yearlings for $1.88 million and also spent $1.06 million on another two in partnership with Aquis Farm.
Bloodstock agent Dermot Farrington is understood to have resigned from his position with Phoenix Thoroughbreds. He was originally recruited in 2018 to help the operation expand its Australian arm.
