European Judicial Delegation Interrogates Mariam Al-Hawaik

European investigators in Beirut interrogated Mariam Al-Hawaik, assistant to the Governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, on Thursday as part of their inquiries into allegations that she embezzled and laundered hundreds of millions of dollars from public funds over more than a decade. The investigation involves Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh and his brother Raja in Lebanon and at least five European countries, suspected of taking over $300 million from the central bank by collecting commissions as fees from bond buyers and then transferring the money to "Fori Associates," owned by Raja. A French court document reviewed by Reuters indicated that "up to five million euros from the central bank ultimately went to Al-Hawaik via accounts in Switzerland and Luxembourg." Al-Hawaik was also mentioned in a Swiss request in 2021 for legal assistance from Lebanese authorities, where Swiss authorities claimed that she benefited from funds transferred from the central bank, harming the Lebanese state. Al-Hawaik's lawyer did not respond to a request for comment, and the Salameh brothers deny any wrongdoing. Al-Hawaik, 42, was long scheduled to be interrogated as a suspect, according to a timeline provided to Reuters by European investigators. The Lebanese Ministry of Justice clarified in a statement today that on April 11, 2023, Minister Henry Khoury received a letter from Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdullah Bou Habib, numbered 2360/2, dated April 6, 2023, which included a request for judicial cooperation issued by Ms. Aud Bourgiz, vice president responsible for the investigation in the Paris judicial court, to summon Mr. Riad Salameh to appear before the Paris court on May 16, 2023, at 9:30 AM. Additionally, the ministry mentioned that on April 11, 2023, the Justice Minister forwarded the request immediately to the public prosecutor's office to inform the concerned party as quickly as possible. The statement confirmed that "communication was made with the relevant judicial authorities in the public prosecutor's office, which confirmed the referral of the mentioned papers to the investigating judge in Beirut, Charbel Abou Samra, to proceed with the necessary actions regarding the notifications for Mr. Riad Salameh."