Former Governor Of The Lebanese Central Bank Arrested For Money Laundering

JAKARTA - Former governor of the Lebanese central bank, Riad Salameh, was arrested after a court hearing in the capital Beirut.

Reported by Reuters on Tuesday, September 3, Salameh was charged in Lebanon with financial crimes including money laundering, embezzlement, and illegal enrichment. He denies all mistakes.

A court source said Salameh was arrested in the Lebanese justice building after a hearing on central bank transactions with Optim Invest, a Lebanese company offering revenue intermediary services, according to its website.

The source said Optimum had dealt with Lebanese central banks to buy and sell state bonds and deposit certificates in Lebanese pounds.. Undated statements on its website say financial audits found no "evidence of wrongdoing or unlawful violation" in company transactions with Lebanese central banks.

Salameh, 73, served as governor of the Lebanese central bank for 30 years until July 2023. In his last months as governor, France and Germany issued arrest warrants for him on corruption charges.