Unknown buyers have purchased $1 billion worth of land near a US Air Force base, sparking a mystery.

An Attorney Denies Foreign Control of Investment Group Amidst Investigation

An attorney representing an investment group has vehemently denied allegations that the group is controlled by foreign investors. This comes as government investigators are seeking to uncover the identities of the purchasers of nearly $1 billion in real estate near California’s Travis Air Force Base.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Flannery Associates’ extensive purchases have made it the largest single landowner in Solano County, with approximately 52,000 acres. The U.K.’s Daily Mail reported an even higher figure of 55,000 acres, stating that the company has expressed intentions of leasing the land to olive growers or developing new types of crops and orchards with local farmers.

However, despite these statements dating back to 2019, the company has yet to take any concrete action to utilize the land. The attorney, who remains unnamed in the report, has refuted claims of foreign control, asserting that Flannery is primarily controlled by U.S. citizens, with only 3 percent of its capital originating from overseas sources in Britain and Ireland.

Investigation and Congressional Involvement

The Air Force’s Foreign Investment Risk Review Office has been conducting an investigation into the matter, but after eight months of searching, they have been unable to identify the investors involved, as reported by The Journal. In response, two House Democrats, including Rep. John Garamendi, have requested a federal investigation into the issue.

Expressing skepticism, Rep. Garamendi stated, “We don’t know who Flannery is, and their extensive purchases do not make sense to anybody in the area.” He also raised concerns about the proximity of the purchased land to Travis Air Force Base, suggesting that it raises significant questions.

Rep. Mike Thompson has joined Rep. Garamendi in requesting an investigation by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (Cifus), indicating a lack of faith in the Air Force’s ability to conduct the investigation independently. Cifus is a multiagency panel that advises the president on foreign acquisitions for security concerns.

Twitter Speculation and Lack of Information

Twitter users have also expressed skepticism regarding the claim of U.S. control over the investment company. The group’s attorney has reportedly declined to provide any additional information about the investors.

I’ll bet I know who they are…

Investors spent nearly $1 billion buying land near an Air Force base in California. Officials are investigating who exactly they are. https://t.co/xnlNymjCoq

— Mark Simon (@MarkSimonHK) July 7, 2023

Who is secretly buying all the land near California Air Force. China. China. China. https://t.co/O7Tk8HGH2u

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 7, 2023

Just guessing.
Maybe Biden’s communist Chinese masters?https://t.co/VeehjR3hqX

— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) July 8, 2023

Cifus has the authority to subpoena Flannery Associates for additional information about its investors, although it is unclear if they have ever exercised this authority in the past. Local officials in Solano County have been attempting to identify the individuals behind Flannery for years, but the company has not engaged with them, which would have been expected if development plans were in place.

County Supervisor Mitch Mashburn expressed confusion over the significant investment, stating, “The majority of the land they’re purchasing is dry farmland. I don’t see where that land can turn a profit to make it worth almost a billion dollars in investment.”

Mayor Ronald Kott of Rio Vista, California, whose town is now surrounded by land owned by the investment group, added, “Nobody can figure out who they are. Whatever they’re doing, this looks like a very long-term play.”

The post Mystery Erupts as Unknown Buyers Snatch Up $1 Billion Worth of Land Near US Air Force Base appeared first on The Western Journal.

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