Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Aug 26, 2025

European prosecutors in Beirut view bank data in c.bank governor probe

European prosecutors in Beirut view bank data in c.bank governor probe

European prosecutors in Beirut this week examined bank transfer documents related to an investigation into whether Lebanon’s central bank chief Riad Salameh and his brother embezzled public funds.
Prosecutors from Germany, France and Luxembourg, who are conducting a cross-border money laundering probe, suspect Riad Salameh and his brother Raja illegally took more than $300 million from the central bank between 2002 and 2015, European judicial officials said, mirroring a Swiss probe into the case.

A Lebanese judge charged Riad Salameh with illicit enrichment in March in a separate but related probe.

The central bank governor and his brother deny the accusations. Riad Salameh has said he is being made a scapegoat for Lebanon’s deep financial crisis that erupted in 2019.

The European prosecutors, who have yet to file any formal charges, suspect the two men used some of the money to acquire real estate assets in France and across Europe, according to European officials and French court documents seen by Reuters.

Property and accounts worth $130 million have been frozen across Europe in connection with the case, according to European officials and French court documents.

The Salameh brothers have challenged the seizure of assets in France, their lawyers say. A French court is hearing the case.

The documents viewed by the visiting European prosecutors included bank records listing money transfers which Raja Salameh made via Lebanese banks, the people familiar with the matter said.

European officials said it would be the first time the prosecutors had seen the transfer details that could help track the flow of funds. Lebanese prosecutors conducting a parallel probe had not shared those findings until now, they added.

Lebanon’s top prosecutor, Ghassan Oueidat, did not respond to a request for comment on what documents were viewed by the European prosecutors.

Financial collapse
The Salameh brothers have denied diverting or laundering public funds, saying the $300 million were earned as part of legitimate business activity.

They have said the probes are part of a coordinated campaign to blame Riad Salameh, who has been the governor of Banque du Liban over three decades, for Lebanon’s 2019 financial collapse that has paralyzed its banks and impoverished the nation.

The crisis erupted after Lebanon racked up huge debts over three decades after the 1975-1990 civil war.

A French lawyer for Riad Salameh said the case had been politicized and his client kept a strict separation of his money and central bank assets.

“In the case file I have access to, there is no diagram of financial flows that would directly implicate Riad Salameh through a confusion of his assets and accounts, and those of the central bank,” the lawyer, Pierre-Olivier Sur, told Reuters.

Raja Salameh denied any embezzlement of public funds, a person close to the governor’s brother said.

The 72-year-old governor has previously said his wealth was built up from money he earned as a banker at Merrill Lynch before he became governor in 1993.

The people familiar with the matter said banking records supplied by the Lebanese authorities were being examined by the team of European prosecutors who arrived in Beirut last week and who would stay until at least Friday.

They said the prosecutors on Monday began the first of about a dozen hearings with witnesses in Beirut, including current and former employees of the central bank, senior bankers and other financial officials.

The hearings are led by Lebanese judges who relay questions from the European prosecutors, they said.

Lebanese prosecutors gained access to the banking documents in May. Two Lebanese judicial sources and one European official said the data could not be shared at that time because Riad Salameh had filed a legal challenge against the magistrate conducting their investigation.

The magistrate was removed from the case a few days ago, Lebanon’s Oueidat said, allowing for judicial cooperation with the Europeans to resume. Oueidat said a new judge would be appointed soon.

Riad Salameh retains the support of some of Lebanon’s most powerful politicians, including Nabih Berri, the parliament speaker who has held that top post for decades.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
×