The longtime former governor of Lebanon’s central financial institution was detained on Tuesday after being questioned by Lebanese authorities, the nation’s chief prosecutor, Choose Jamal Hajjar, stated.
Former banker Riad Salame is below investigation in various corruption circumstances in Lebanon and overseas. Mr Salameh believed he had been referred to as by investigators on Tuesday as a witness and never a suspect, in accordance with certainly one of his attorneys, Hafez Zakhour. The arrest was a shock, the lawyer stated.
“My shopper wanted to be a witness,” he stated. “I do not know why he was detained. The lawyer representing Mr. Salameh within the case, about which he was questioned on Tuesday, couldn’t be reached for remark.
Lebanon’s Justice Minister Henry Khoury stated Mr Salameh could be detained for 4 days earlier than being questioned once more. He stated Mr Salame might be returned to jail after the second questioning, relying on the end result of that listening to.
Mr. Salame was as soon as welcomed to help Lebanon’s financial comeback after a devastating civil struggle, however has come below intense scrutiny from prosecutors in Lebanon and Europe lately because the Lebanese economic system crumbled. Amid a number of investigations into his tenure on the financial institution, he resigned final yr after 30 years as its head.
Mr. Salameh had by no means been arrested earlier than Tuesday. Mr Khoury stated he was questioned on Tuesday in an investigation involving Optimum, a Lebanese brokerage agency.
As soon as considered one thing of a global monetary wizard, Mr Salameh has attracted growing guilt from Lebanon, who accused him of residing a lavish life-style whereas the nation’s foreign money collapsed and inflation reached triple digits. An extravagant wedding ceremony in France, which he organized for his son, prompted specific anger.
Many individuals noticed their financial savings evaporate through the nation’s monetary disaster, leaving individuals with {dollars} within the financial institution unable to withdraw their very own cash. A lot of the center class is mired in poverty.
Many economists and analysts stated Mr. Salameh’s central financial institution insurance policies contributed to the nation’s monetary break, together with corruption and mismanagement by Lebanon’s political leaders. Prosecutors in France, Germany and Switzerland are investigating Mr. Salame and his shut associates for alleged monetary crimes, together with laundering not less than $330 million.
America, Britain and Canada froze his property final yr, accusing him of abusing his place to counterpoint himself, household and mates by funneling lots of of tens of millions of {dollars} into high-end European actual property by means of a sequence of shell firms.
He’s now in jail in Beirut.
Mr. Salameh didn’t have his lawyer with him throughout Tuesday’s questioning, in accordance with Mr. Zakhour.
Previously, Mr. Salame has denied any wrongdoing, saying he was working to stabilize the foreign money and curb corruption. He stated his wealth got here from inheritances, his former job as a banker at Merrill Lynch and investments, and that he was a scapegoat for the nation’s monetary disaster.
