The seizures are connected to a probe introduced by French detectives last year into the individual wealth of Riad Salameh, the reserve bank chief in crisis-hit Lebanon.” Five properties in Germany and France were taken in addition to a number of bank accounts” were frozen, Eurojust stated in a statement.The Hague-based Eurojust stated the operation on Friday was directed versus 5 people who were believed of embezzling public funds in Lebanon of more than $330 million and five million euros, respectively, between 2002 and 2021. The 5 suspects include Salameh, a former Merrill Lynch lender and members of his family, a source near the probe told AFP.Prosecutors are probing Salamehs alleged links to criminal association and money laundering, judicial sources said, following a similar move by Switzerland.A Lebanese judge last week charged Salameh with “illicit enrichment” and money laundering after he failed to attend a court hearing for the 5th time.Legal proceedings opened versus Salameh after problems submitted by anti-graft groups in April in 2015, supported by a group of Lebanese people who lost money given that the crisis struck the nation in 2019. We contest entirelyFridays seizures also include 3 properties in Germany, valued at 28 million euros along with other properties worth 7 million euros.In France, 2 Paris homes valued at 16 million euros as well as a checking account with 2.2 million euros were seized.In Luxembourg, around 11 million euros were frozen in another checking account, Eurojust said.The agency did not offer any details on the suspects, saying “they are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty.” In post considering that 1993 and when hailed by political and business leaders, Salameh has been repeatedly accused by the federal government of former caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab of being accountable for the collapse of the Lebanese pound.The Lebanese public suspect him and other high authorities of transferring money abroad during a 2019 uprising, when ordinary people were avoided from doing so.The 71-year-old monetary official has actually safeguarded himself, saying he believed he was being made the scapegoat for the Middle Eastern countrys financial woes.His attorneys too have actually called for the opening of a judicial probe, saying “it will offer us access to the file” the contents of which “we contest completely.”” We will exercise our complete solutions” in the event, Salamehs French legal representative Pierre-Olivier Sur said.( AFP).
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France, Germany and Luxembourg have actually seized properties and frozen possessions worth 120 million euros ($ 130 million) in a significant operation linked to money laundering in Lebanon, the EUs justice firm said Monday.
Provided on: 29/03/2022 – 10:50
