BEIRUT (Reuters) -Lebanon’s former central financial institution governor, Riad Salameh, was arrested on Tuesday following a judicial listening to within the capital Beirut, a senior judicial supply instructed Reuters.
Salameh has been charged in Lebanon with monetary crimes together with money-laundering, embezzlement and illicit enrichment. He has denied all wrongdoing. Neither he nor his lawyer instantly responded to Reuters makes an attempt to succeed in them for touch upon Tuesday.
The judicial supply stated that Salameh was arrested at Lebanon’s justice palace following a listening to in regards to the central financial institution’s dealings with Optimum Make investments, a Lebanese agency that provides earnings brokerage providers, in line with its web site.
The supply stated that Optimum had handled Lebanon’s central financial institution to purchase and promote treasury bonds and certificates of deposit in Lebanese kilos.
Optimum didn’t instantly reply to a Reuters request for remark. An undated assertion on its web site stated {that a} monetary audit had discovered “no proof of wrongdoing or illegality” within the firm’s dealings with Lebanon’s central financial institution.
Salameh, 73, was Lebanon’s central financial institution governor for 30 years till July 2023. In his remaining months as governor, France and Germany issued arrest warrants for him on corruption expenses.
