Lebanese Central Bank Governor Denies Transferring Funds Abroad

Date: 19 January 2021 - 22:01

News ID: ۸۶۶۹۳

BEIRUT (Dispatches) – Lebanese Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh rejected on Tuesday accusations about having transferred millions of U.S. dollars abroad along with his brother and an assistant, a statement by Banque du Liban reported.
"The governor confirms that, as always, Banque du Liban adheres to the Lebanese and international laws, and cooperates with all those concerned with Lebanon and its financial and banking status both at home and abroad,” the statement said.
Justice Minister Marie-Claude Najm said earlier in the day that she had received a request from Swiss judicial authorities to cooperate on an inquiry into money transfers by Salameh.
"I have transferred the request to the public prosecutor to do what is necessary,” she said.
The Lebanese judiciary has received a request for assistance from Switzerland over an investigation into money transfers allegedly made by central bank chief, a judicial source told AFP.
The investigation is looking into $400 million allegedly transferred out of Lebanon, despite tight restrictions.
There was no immediate response from the Swiss authorities.
According to the judicial source, judge Ghassan Oueidat received the request "directly from the Swiss embassy in Beirut”.
The request did not include documents or evidence proving allegations but listed questions the judiciary should ask Salameh and others linked to the case, according to the source.
"The letter was sent to the judiciary in an unusual way, outside regular diplomatic channels,” the judicial source added.
The investigation was first reported on Tuesday by Al-Akhbar, a staunch critic of the long-time central bank governor.
According to the daily, the probe is part of a wider effort to investigate shady dealings by officials, including Salameh.
It comes as Lebanon grapples with its worst economic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war.
The Lebanese pound has lost more than 80 percent of its value against the dollar on the black market and banks have halted dollar transactions to shore up dwindling foreign currency reserves.