‘Bin Talal Not Allowed to Leave Saudi Arabia After Release’
RIYADH (Dispatches) – Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, who recently was released after nearly three months in detention as part of a so-called anti-corruption purge, reportedly does not have the permission to travel outside of the kingdom.
Sources told Qatari newspaper al-Sharq that bin Talal, who had hoped to spend time in the south of France and also travel overseas to meet with his aides and advisers, has not received the necessary license to leave the kingdom, which has left him in "a state of gloom.”
Bin Talal, the chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, is one of the world’s richest men with assets valued by Bloomberg at $19 billion. Dozens of princes, ministers and former ministers were detained in late December 2017 on the order of Saudi Arabia’s so-called Anti-Corruption Committee headed by the Crown Prince, in a crackdown, which is widely believed to be aimed at consolidating his power.
The detained individuals faced allegations of money laundering, bribery, extorting officials and misappropriation of public funds for personal benefits.
Sources told Qatari newspaper al-Sharq that bin Talal, who had hoped to spend time in the south of France and also travel overseas to meet with his aides and advisers, has not received the necessary license to leave the kingdom, which has left him in "a state of gloom.”
Bin Talal, the chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, is one of the world’s richest men with assets valued by Bloomberg at $19 billion. Dozens of princes, ministers and former ministers were detained in late December 2017 on the order of Saudi Arabia’s so-called Anti-Corruption Committee headed by the Crown Prince, in a crackdown, which is widely believed to be aimed at consolidating his power.
The detained individuals faced allegations of money laundering, bribery, extorting officials and misappropriation of public funds for personal benefits.