Lebanese authorities arrested former central bank governor Riad Salameh on Tuesday after questioning him over alleged embezzlement, according to a judicial source who spoke to AFP. This marks the first time Salameh has been detained, following numerous accusations of embezzlement, money laundering, and tax evasion during his nearly three decades in office.
Lebanon’s public prosecutor ordered Salameh’s arrest after a three-hour interrogation regarding suspicions that he embezzled over $40 million from the central bank and transferred the funds abroad. Salameh, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, arrived at the judge’s office without a lawyer and waived his right to legal representation during the questioning.
This case is separate from other investigations against Salameh, who is widely seen as a key figure in Lebanon’s economic collapse, which began in late 2019. Following the interrogation, Salameh was transferred to a jail in Beirut’s Ashrafieh area, where he can be held for up to four days unless formally charged.
