Lebanon: The brother of the governor of the Central Bank arrested

The brother of the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon Riad Salamé was apprehended on Thursday on charges of money laundering and fraud, a judicial source revealed to AFP. Raja Salamé was arrested on the directives of the general prosecutor of Mount Lebanon, Ghada Aoun, “after interviewing him for three hours in the presence of his lawyer”, specify the source on condition of anonymity.

The arrest follows a complaint filed by a group of Lebanese activists against the governor and his brother. Raja Salamé’s case has been handed over to the investigating judge who will examine “crimes of money laundering, fraud and illicit enrichment, among other allegations”, the source said. These are the same accusations against the governor of the Central Bank who is among the major officials accused of being responsible for the unprecedented financial crisis in Lebanon.