Lebanese central bank head charged with illicit enrichment

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Riad Salameh, the governor of Lebanon’s central bank, was charged with illicit enrichment and money laundering by Judge Ghada Aoun on Monday, according to LBCI television.

Salameh did not show up to a hearing that he had been summoned to by Aoun on Monday.

Lebanese central bank governor Riad Salameh said on Monday that he ordered an audit which showed that no public funds were a source of his wealth, denying a charge of illicit enrichment made against him by a judge.

“This audit report was submitted to the relevant authorities in Lebanon and abroad,” Salameh said in response to a question sent by text message from Reuters.

Salameh’s brother, Raja, businesswoman Anna Kosakova and a number of companies are facing charges in connection with the bank head’s case as well. Raja was arrested last week on a warrant issued by Aoun. The Salameh’s, Kosakova, and the relevant companies have been referred to Mount Lebanon Investigative Judge Nicolas Mansour, according to Al Jadeed.

Kosakova, the chairwoman of a real estate company and the mother of Salemeh’s daughter, acquired real estate for Salameh, L’Orient-Le Jour reported in August.

In February, Salameh made headlines after it was reported that he was seemingly in hiding amid the investigation into allegations of embezzlement committed by him. State Security officers searched both of Salameh’s homes and his office at the time, but were unable to find the bank governor.

Mount Lebanon General Prosecutor Ghada Aoun has issued an asset freeze and travel ban against the central bank governor and has ordered the seizure of Raja Salameh’s real estate.

Aoun had summoned Salameh as part of a lawsuit filed by the People Want to Reform the System group accusing the bank governor of “illicit enrichment, money laundering and squandering public funds on personal benefits.”

Germany, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland have also requested information about Salameh’s finances due to suspicions of money laundering and embezzlement by Salameh, according to Reuters.

Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-701897