Fraud allegations and international investigations: the fall of former Lebanese central bank governor

Lebanon’s former central bank governor, Riad Salameh, has been charged with misappropriating $42 million, multiple court officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Salameh, 73, was charged by the Financial Prosecutor’s Office after being detained and questioned by Lebanon’s top public prosecutor over various alleged financial wrongdoings. His case has now been handed over to an investigating judge. Salameh, who ended his 30-year term as governor a year ago amid a financial crisis and numerous investigations, has consistently denied corruption allegations, attributing his wealth to inheritance and investments.

During recent hearings, Salameh was questioned about his role in hiring a company known as Optimum, allegedly to manipulate financial statements and facilitate defrauding the central bank. Salameh, meanwhile, remains under sanctions from the US, UK and Canada, and France has issued an international arrest warrant. However, Lebanon has not appointed a new central bank governor since his departure, and it is currently run by acting governor Wassim Mansouri.

(Based on information from the agency.)