CHICAGO (AP) -- A mysterious billionaire with his hands on a major chunk of Chicago real estate and at least passing familiarity with some of Illinois' top politicians has surfaced in the federal fraud trial of political fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

Nadhmi Auchi, the world's 279th richest person on the Forbes magazine list, is the founder and CEO of Luxembourg-based General Mediterranean Holdings. He presides over a business empire that stretches from the shores of the Red Sea through Russia, western Europe and North America.

The company boasts investments in banking and finance, hotels, aviation, pharmaceuticals and real estate -- including 62 acres near downtown Chicago in which Rezko once held a stake.

Few would have noticed Auchi had it not been for a $3.5 million wire transfer sent without any fanfare last year to Rezko's attorneys from an account in far-off Lebanon.






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