Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, May 11, 2025

European judges quiz aide to Lebanon central bank chief

European judges quiz aide to Lebanon central bank chief

A European judicial delegation on Friday completed its second hearing with Marianne Hoayek, assistant to the governor of Lebanon’s central bank.
Hoayek is being questioned as a suspect in a money laundering case involving European bank accounts belonging to Gov. Riad Salameh and his brother Raja Salameh.

The EU judicial delegation also questioned Madeleine Shaheen, assistant to Marwan Kheireddine, chairman of Al-Mawarid Bank.

The delegation is led by French judge Aude Buresi, and includes a Munich public prosecutor and investigators from Luxembourg.

A judicial source told Arab News: “The delegation asked Hoayek about a hundred questions, and she answered all of them.”

Hoayek attended the hearing without her legal representative, and was questioned on her role in the Banque du Liban and its financial operations, as well as her work as an executive adviser to Salameh since April 2020.

The two sessions were attended by the first investigating judge in Beirut, Charbel Abu Samra, who is in charge of executing European authorizations, along with Judge Helena Iskandar, head of the Cases Authority at the Ministry of Justice, who is representing the Lebanese state in her claim against Salameh.

Judge Buresi began questioning Kheireddine in France several weeks ago in connection with charges that included “associating with a criminal gang with the aim of embezzling public funds, breach of trust, and corruption of a public official.”

The European delegation told the Lebanese judiciary that Kheireddine, who recently returned to Beirut, must abide by requirements to refrain from entering his bank, Al-Mawarid Bank, or communicating with Riad Salameh, Raja Salameh, Nadi Salameh (son of Riad Salameh), Hoayek, Marwan Khoury, Nabil Aoun and Antoine Salameh.

The French prosecution provided information about assistance offered by Kheireddine to Riad Salameh, his brother, son and those close to him through financial accounts, which allegedly facilitated money laundering operations.

“Lebanon is not obligated to implement any control over Kheireddine on Lebanese soil,” the judicial source said.

Public Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oueidat is expected to officially request French judicial authorities provide him with a copy of the investigations conducted into Kheireddine.

The European judicial delegation on Tuesday is due to question financial auditors Samir Gholam from Gholam & Co. Auditing, and Walid Nakfour from Ernst & Young, provided that Raja Salameh and the former director of organization and development at BDL Raja Abu Asali are questioned on Wednesday.

Raja Salameh did not attend his scheduled hearing sessions last Tuesday and Wednesday after his lawyer presented a medical excuse.

Next Thursday, the European judicial delegation will question the financial auditor at Deloitte, Nada Makhlouf.

The aforementioned financial auditors have worked auditing BDL accounts since the 1990s.

Next Friday the European delegation is scheduled to question caretaker Minister of Finance Youssef Khalil.

According to a judicial source, the foreign judicial delegation is not entitled to officially charge the persons being interrogated on Lebanese soil, but can take whatever measures it deems appropriate after returning to its country.

Judge Buresi is expected to question Riad Salameh in Paris on May 16. Whether the governor appears before the French judiciary remains to be seen.

The French financial investigation into Riad Salameh’s wealth began in July 2021, in parallel with investigations in other European countries and Switzerland.

In March 2022, France, Germany and Luxembourg froze €120 million ($132 million) of Lebanese assets following the investigation that targeted Salameh, his two brothers, and those close to him, on charges of money laundering and embezzlement of public funds in Lebanon worth more than $330 million and €5 million, respectively, between 2002 and 2021.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump's Upcoming Visit to Gulf Nations: Investment and Security at the Forefront
Cardinal Robert Prevost Elected as Pope Leo XIV, Marking a Historic Papacy
India-Pakistan conflict may be first test for Chinese military tech
Bill Gates Announces Plan to Wind Down Philanthropic Foundation and Disperse Wealth
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 25,000 for Immigration Violations in One Week
UAE’s ADQ and Energy Capital Partners Announce $25 Billion Energy Venture in the U.S.
KSrelief Launches Extensive Ramadan Food Aid Initiative
Ramadan Celebrations Revitalize Historic Jeddah
Makkah Authorities Urge Worshippers to Follow Crowd Management Guidelines
Direct Flights Between Dammam and Damascus Reestablished for Syrian Residents
Saudi Main Index Rises to Close at 11,760 Amid Mixed Market Performance
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch Visits Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
×