Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon Faces "Criminal Case" in Luxembourg

Luxembourg judicial authorities announced on Monday the opening of a criminal case concerning the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Riad Salameh, and his financial assets. A spokesperson for the central bank did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. The French national financial prosecutor's office is conducting a similar investigation into the prominent Lebanese official, who is also under investigation in Switzerland and the United Kingdom, according to previous reports. Salameh has held his current position since 1993, after working for 20 years as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch in Beirut and Paris. He has long been viewed as an influential figure, highly regarded in Lebanese political circles and the economic arena. However, as Lebanon faces an unprecedented economic crisis, Salameh has become one of the most rejected figures among the public. Lebanese public opinion suspects that, like other senior officials in the country, Salameh secretly transferred large sums of money abroad in conjunction with the popular protests that began in October 2019, despite the strict restrictions imposed by banks. The Governor of the Central Bank has defended himself through the media, claiming he is a "scapegoat" for the economic crisis. Salameh emphasizes that all of his funds are declared and legal, asserting that he amassed his wealth through inheritance and his professional career in the financial sector.