Adnan Khashoggi was a Saudi Arabian businessman renowned for his negotiation skills and ability to arrange major international business transactions. He spent much of his life surrounded by wealth and luxury. Born to a physician father, Khashoggi grew up in a relatively prosperous family. His entrepreneurial talent became evident during his school years when he arranged a business deal between the fathers of two classmates and earned a commission of US$1,000. After leaving his studies at several prestigious universities before completing them, Khashoggi ventured into business and established various commercial enterprises. He played an important role in connecting Western companies with the Saudi Arabian government, helping facilitate agreements aimed at developing the country’s infrastructure. He became particularly well known for his involvement in international arms transactions and for bringing together American companies and the Saudi government. During the later years of his life, Khashoggi experienced significant financial difficulties, suffered substantial losses, and eventually faced bankruptcy. He was also implicated in the Iran–Contra affair, an arms-trading scandal, and was arrested in connection with allegations of financial fraud. Despite his declining financial circumstances, he continued to maintain a public image associated with luxury and extravagance. Khashoggi later suffered from Parkinson’s disease and died peacefully at the age of 81.
Childhood & Early Life
Adnan Khashoggi was born on July 25, 1935, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. His father, Mohammad Khashoggi, was a physician who served as the personal doctor to King Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the founder and first monarch of modern Saudi Arabia. Adnan’s family had Turkish-Jewish ancestry. He had two sisters, Samira Khashoggi and Soheir Khashoggi, both of whom gained recognition as writers.
Khashoggi received his early education at Victoria College in Alexandria, Egypt. He later studied at California State University and Stanford University in the United States. However, he left his academic pursuits before completing his studies to concentrate on developing his business career.
Career of Adnan Khashoggi
Adnan Khashoggi entered the business world at a young age. During his school years, he developed connections with several prominent individuals, including Hussein bin Talal, who later became King of Jordan. His entrepreneurial abilities became apparent when he arranged a commercial transaction between the fathers of two classmates. One, a Libyan, wanted to purchase towels, while the other, an Egyptian, manufactured them. Khashoggi connected the two parties and earned a commission of US$1,000, marking his first significant business earnings.
In another early venture, Khashoggi discovered that a construction company was struggling to operate conventional trucks in desert conditions. Recognizing the need for vehicles better suited to sandy terrain, he purchased several American trucks from Kenworth and leased them to the company. Their wider wheels made travel across desert landscapes easier. This arrangement helped him establish himself as an agent for Kenworth.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Khashoggi served as an intermediary between the Saudi Arabian government and various international corporations. He facilitated contracts involving defence equipment, security, and infrastructure development. He also played a significant role in marketing and promoting the services of Lockheed Martin, an American defence and aerospace company. His commission initially stood at approximately 2.5%, but reportedly increased to 15% as his influence and importance in business transactions expanded.
During the 1960s, Khashoggi founded Triad International Holding Company, an investment organization with interests in businesses across multiple countries. He became particularly prominent for arranging international arms transactions and connecting the Saudi government with American corporations. Among the companies associated with his business dealings were Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon, Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, and Northrop Corporation.
Triad International subsequently established several subsidiaries, including Triad Management, Triad Properties, Triad Energy, and Triad Technology. Headquartered in Geneva, the organization maintained operations in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. Its investments covered diverse industries, including hospitality, banking, petroleum refining, gold mining, and construction.
Khashoggi became widely known for his extravagant lifestyle, which included luxury automobiles, private aircraft, and expensive yachts. He owned residences in several countries and possessed three notable yachts: The Nabila, The Mohammadia, and The Khalida. Of these, The Nabila was considered his most prized possession and gained additional attention through its appearance in films. During a period of financial difficulty, he sold the yacht to the Sultan of Brunei, who subsequently sold it to American businessman Donald Trump, who later became president of the United States.
Khashoggi’s career was also marked by legal controversies. He became involved in the Iran–Contra affair, a political scandal involving covert arms sales to Iran by certain American officials despite restrictions and opposition to such transactions. Khashoggi acted as an intermediary in the dealings, and the controversy contributed to the deterioration of his business interests.
In 1998, Khashoggi was arrested in Switzerland over allegations involving the concealment of funds. He was subsequently extradited to the United States to face charges related to racketeering and conspiracy. Those charges were later dropped. In 2006, he faced a lawsuit brought by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission concerning alleged securities fraud associated with Genesis Intermedia, Inc., an internet company he had financed. As his business ventures encountered increasing difficulties, Khashoggi also struggled to meet his financial obligations and defaulted on debts.
Family & Personal Life
Adnan Khashoggi married twice during his lifetime. In the 1960s, he married Sandra Daly, a British national who converted to Islam after their marriage and adopted the name Soraya Khashoggi. The couple had five children: one daughter and four sons. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1974.
In 1978, Khashoggi married Laura Biancolini, an Italian national who also converted to Islam and took the name Lamia Khashoggi. They had one son together.
Khashoggi was a prominent figure in elite social circles and was renowned for hosting lavish parties at his residences. These gatherings frequently attracted celebrities and influential personalities from around the world. Even as his financial circumstances worsened, he attempted to preserve the luxurious lifestyle for which he had become famous.
During the final years of his life, Khashoggi suffered from Parkinson’s disease. He died on June 6, 2017, at the Harley Street Clinic in London, England, at the age of 81.
Trivia
Adnan Khashoggi was the uncle of Dodi Al-Fayed, who became internationally known for his relationship with Princess Diana. Dodi and Diana both died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.
He was also the uncle of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist, author, and critic of the Saudi government. Jamal was murdered at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in October 2018, more than a year after Adnan’s death.