Lebanon’s ex-central bank governor Salameh arrested

Lebanon’s former central bank governor, Riad Salameh was arrested on Tuesday after a judicial hearing in Beirut, a senior judicial source told Reuters.

Salameh faces charges of financial crimes, including money laundering, embezzlement, and illicit enrichment, all of which he denied. Attempts to reach him or his lawyer for comment were unsuccessful.

The arrest took place at Lebanon’s justice palace during a hearing about the central bank’s dealings with Optimum Invest, a Lebanese brokerage firm.

The source said that Optimum had dealings with Lebanon’s central bank in order to buy and sell treasury bonds and certificates of deposit in Lebanese pounds. According to an undated statement on its website, Optimum claims a financial audit found no evidence of wrongdoing in its dealings with the central bank.

Salameh, 73, served as Lebanon’s central bank governor for 30 years until July 2023. At the end of his 30-year tenure, France and Germany issued arrest warrants for him on corruption charges.

Attribution: Reuters