Not anymore.
This country at the crossroads of the Middle East is suffering from a collapse of historic proportions: Its banks are largely insolvent, unemployment is soaring, its currency has crashed and many Lebanese blame Salameh for shortages that have left them struggling to afford food, scrambling to find medication and waiting in long lines to fuel up their cars.
Now, Salameh is being accused of a perhaps more unforgivable sin: enriching himself and his inner circle through years of corruption. Paris anticorruption judges opened an investigation this month into criminal allegations that Salameh, one of the world s longest-serving central bank chiefs, fraudulently amassed an outsize fortune in Europe by abusing his power. The judicial investigation follows a preliminary inquiry by the French National Financial Prosecutor s Office.
As Lebanon Collapses, Riad Salameh Faces Questions
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Lebanonâs Prosecutor Launches Probe Into The Central Bank Governor Published May 3rd, 2021 - 05:05 GMT
In Lebanon: Protesters raise the Flag (Shutterstock)
Highlights
The central bank declined to provide contact details for Raja Salameh.
Lebanonâs public prosecutor has launched an investigation into central bank governor Riad Salameh, a judicial source said, after a Swiss legal request alleged that more than $300 million had been embezzled from the bank through a company owned by his brother.
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The senior judicial source said the offices of Salamehâs younger brother Raja had been sealed off, with computers and files confiscated in the course of the investigation. The public prosecutor had no comment.
UPDATE 1-Lebanese prosecutor opens probe into central bank governor and brother Reuters 2 days ago
(Adds central bank comment)
BEIRUT, April 30 (Reuters) - Lebanon s public prosecutor has launched an investigation into central bank governor Riad Salameh, a judicial source said, after a Swiss legal request alleged that more than $300 million had been embezzled from the bank through a company owned by his brother.
The senior judicial source told Reuters the offices of Salameh s younger brother Raja had been sealed off, with computers and files confiscated in the course of the investigation. The public prosecutor had no comment.
Riad Salameh, who has denied any wrongdoing, had no comment when asked by Reuters about the opening of the investigation, the sealing of his brother s office and the confiscation of the files.
Lebanese prosecutor opens probe into central bank governor and brother Reuters 11 hrs ago
BEIRUT, April 29 (Reuters) - Lebanon s public prosecutor has launched an investigation into central bank governor Riad Salameh, a judicial source said, after a Swiss legal request alleged that more than $300 million had been embezzled from the bank through a company owned by his brother.
The senior judicial source told Reuters the offices of Salameh s younger brother Raja had been sealed off, with computers and files confiscated in the course of the investigation. The public prosecutor had no comment.
Riad Salameh, who denies any wrongdoing, had no comment when asked by Reuters about the opening of the investigation, the sealing of his brother s office and the confiscation of the files.
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