Paris court hears plea by Lebanon’s Salameh for asset release
A Paris appeals court has held a hearing as part of the continuing inquiry against Lebanon’s Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh.
Mr Salameh, 72, is being investigated alongside his brother Raja in Lebanon and at least six European countries over the alleged theft of hundreds of millions of dollars from the central bank.
The court’s decision on whether to accept the brothers’ bid to release their frozen assets in Europe is set to be issued within weeks.
“We are pleading today [in chambers]. The case will then be taken under advisement,” said Pierre-Olivier Sur, Mr Salameh’s lawyer in France.
The prosecutor’s media office confirmed to The National that the hearing was held at 2pm on Tuesday.
It gave no further details about the case.
The assets in question could be sold and the proceeds returned to Lebanon if Mr Salameh is found guilty.
Last month, Lebanon lodged a civil complaint against Mr Salameh in France and became a civil party in the case in a bid to claim the assets as an injured party.
The lawyer representing the Lebanese state was present at the hearing, a source said.
The move was contested by the accused’s side.
“We are considering a criminal complaint against the state’s civil action for forgery and attempted fraud, because it lacks the ministerial signature that would authenticate its validity,” Mr Sur told The National after the hearing.
Mr Salameh has denied any wrongdoing since the cases were opened.
Most of his assets, which consist of European property and banking assets worth more than $100 million, were frozen last year following a major operation against money laundering in Lebanon.
A joint investigation led by judicial authorities in France, Germany and Luxembourg resulted in the seizure in Europe of assets valued at €120 million ($131 million) belonging to the bank governor and his relatives.
Anna Kosakova, Mr Salameh’s partner, was indicted by French judge Aude Buresi in July for criminal conspiracy, organised money laundering and aggravated tax fraud laundering.
The move came as part of the investigation opened in France, where Ms Kosakova owns at least €14.3 million worth of property.
All of it has now been seized, according to judicial documents seen by The National. “The seizure orders issued by the investigating judge are extremely well justified,” said William Bourdon, a lawyer for anti-financial crime group Sherpa and the Collective of Victims of Fraudulent and Criminal Practices in Lebanon, set up by savers affected by Lebanon’s economic crisis.
“Requests for the lifting of the seizure are reduced to a rearguard battle and a communication operation.”
The groups have called for an investigation into the removal of large amounts of capital from Lebanon, as well as property purchases and the roles played by financial intermediaries, tax havens and strawmen.
The plaintiffs believe Mr Salameh’s overall wealth amounts to more than $2 billion. He has contested that figure, saying his holdings stem from inheritances, his banking career and legitimate investments he made since taking office in 1993.
A joint investigation led by judicial authorities in Europe resulted in the seizure of assets valued at $131 million