The interim governor of the Banque du Liban, Wassim Mansouri, decided on Monday August 14 to freeze the accounts of his predecessor, Riad Salamé, and several of his relatives. The former head of the central bank is being prosecuted by the Lebanese courts for “forgery and use of forgery, money laundering, illicit enrichment and tax evasion”. He is also the subject of two international arrest warrants issued by France and Germany.
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With our correspondent in BeirutPaul Khalifeh
The freezing of accounts and the lifting of banking secrecy decided by Wassim Mansouri concern Riad Salamé, his brother Raja, his son Nady, his former assistant Marianne Howayek and his ex-partner Anna Kosakova, indicted in France. This measure comes less than a week after the sanctions taken in concert by the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom against the one who led the Banque du Liban for 30 years.
Riad Salamé was however considered the protege of the United States, with which he fully cooperated in the fight against “terrorist financing”, mainly directed against Hezbollah. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has indicated that the ” corrupt and illegal actions (of the former governor) contributed to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon “.
This cascade of measures which targeted Riad Salamé in Lebanon and abroad follows the submission of the report of the forensic audit of the accounts of Banque du Liban, carried out by the firm Alvarez & Marsal. The more than 300-page report reveals many shortcomings in central bank management. He cites in particular the case of the company Forry Associate, which is the subject of a European investigation for embezzlement involving more than 300 million dollars.
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