Who Is Umar Farooq Zahoor, Pakistan-Origin Fraudster Seen With JD Vance In Islamabad?

Last Updated:April 21, 2026, 17:40 IST

Umar Farooq Zahoor, a Pakistan-origin businessman born in Oslo, is wanted by Norwegian authorities on charges of aggravated fraud and money laundering.

US Vice President JD Vance’s first visit to Pakistan for the first round of US-Iran peace talks presented an astonishing sight, as he was seen shaking the hands of a businessman who has been accused of a $6 million fraud in Norway.

After Vance touched down in Islamabad, US special envoy Steve Witkoff introduced him to a man, who was identified as Umar Farooq Zahoor, a Pakistan-origin businessman currently based in Dubai, according to the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (VG).

Farooq is wanted in connection with a fraud case involving more than 60 million Norwegian kroner (Rs 60 crore) against Nordea Bank in 2010, according to State Prosecutor Carl Graff Hartmann, who launched a criminal case against Zahoor.

Who Is Umar Farooq Zahoor?

Born in Oslo to parents from Sialkot, Umar Farooq Zahoor describes himself as a “businessman, markets investor and entrepreneur" on X. He has received state honours in Pakistan for bringing foreign investments to the country and a whistleblower in a corruption case that led to the imprisonment of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

According to VG, Zahoor was sentenced to one year in prison for embezzlement of airline tickets from his famuly-run travel agenc in 2003. He later moved to Switzerland, where he is also accused of defrauding more than $20 million and setting up a fake bank sign in Zurich. A business associate was later convicted in connection with the scheme, while Zahoor himself was never arrested.

He later moved to Dubai, where he was linked to the Dubai-based Ameri Group during a controversial $510 million power deal with the Government of Ghana. However, no direct criminal conviction was established.

The Norwegian Supreme Court has ruled that Zahoor should be arrested for his role in what is considered one of the country’s largest bank fraud cases in 2010. The country has repeatedly sought his arrest and extradition . “Umar Farooq Zahoor is wanted by Norwegian police. He is charged with aggravated fraud and money laundering," said Hartmann.

However, Zahoor has consistently denied any wrongdoing. His lawyer said Interpol had rejected the “unsubstantiated" allegations against him years ago, and that he is fulfilling his civic duties by being a part of the peace efforts.

Zahoor’s Meeting With Vance Under Scrutiny

Despite the fraud allegations, Zahoor was conferred the Hilal-e-Imtiaz, the country’s second-highest civilian honour, in 2025 for facilitating foreign investments in various sectors. Pakistan’s Express Tribune reported that he was awarded for his role as a whistleblower in the Toshakhana graft case against Imran Khan.

However, Zahoor is still wanted by Norway on charges of aggravated fraud and money laundering. His meeting with JD Vance has fueled criticism on how such a person could be associated with an official delegation. Some reports speculated that he may have been involved in the peace negotiations.

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