Sultanate of Sulu: How Fuad and Omar Kiram Sold Out a Nation That Wasn’t Theirs

Manila, Philippines — A new exposé uncovers one of Southeast Asia’s most audacious frauds: the fabricated monarchy and trillion-dollar deception orchestrated by Fuad Kiram and his late advisor Omar Kiram. Posing as royalty of the defunct Sulu Sultanate, the duo conducted a sprawling two-decade scam that blended fake titles, imaginary gold, and staged diplomacy to attract money, influence, and international attention.

Fuad Kiram, a self-declared Sultan discredited by legitimate heirs and listed as a terrorist by Malaysia, led an elaborate enterprise with Omar—a Filipino-Australian businessman who adopted the Kiram name to feign noble descent. Together, they sold fraudulent knighthoods and ambassadorships under the fictitious “Royal Hashemite Sultanate of Sulu and Sabah,” misled investors with tales of $3 trillion in hidden wartime gold, and staged pseudo-royal ceremonies across the globe.

Their exploits culminated in a controversial $14.92 billion international arbitration award against Malaysia over the historical Sabah lease—now under appeal and widely condemned as the pinnacle of their con. Legal experts warn that this legal maneuver, funded in part through questionable financial backers, represents a disturbing manipulation of the global justice system.

The victims? The Tausug people and the legacy of a historic sultanate now tarnished by deceit.

With the next arbitration hearing set for July 7, the report calls for urgent international scrutiny—and accountability.

Omar Kiram and Fuad Kiram, pictured together in 2006.

Image Source: Royal Sulu