Former governor of Lebanon's central bank is arrested on suspicion of financial crimes

On September 3, Riad Salameh, who served as the governor of Lebanon's central bank for 30 years, was arrested by Lebanese judicial authorities in Beirut.

It is reported that Lebanese prosecutor Jamal Hajjar interrogated and investigated Salameh on the same day regarding the case related to "Optimal Investment" financial company and then arrested him. Hajjar said that the judicial measure taken against Salameh is "preventive detention for four days", and then he will be handed over to an investigating judge for interrogation and an appropriate judicial decision will be made.

According to local media reports, during Salameh's tenure as the governor of Lebanon's central bank, the central bank signed a contract with "Optimal Investment" company regarding the purchase and sale of Lebanese government bonds. "Optimal Investment" company is suspected of obtaining profits at the expense of public funds between 2015 and 2018.

Salameh, 74 years old, served as the governor of Lebanon's central bank from 1993 to 2023. In recent years, he has faced multiple economic crime investigations including misappropriation of public funds, fraud, illegal profit-making, and money laundering at home and abroad in Lebanon. However, Salameh denied all accusations, saying that his personal wealth comes from his previous position as a senior executive of Merrill Lynch, inheritance and investment income.

This arrest of Salameh has attracted widespread attention. Lebanon's economic situation has always been relatively severe, and the financial field also faces many challenges and problems. As the former governor of the central bank, Salameh's actions and decisions have an important impact on Lebanon's financial system. His arrest may have a certain impact on Lebanon's financial stability and economic development, and it also triggers in-depth thinking about the country's financial supervision and governance system. The international community is also closely following the follow-up development of this incident and its impact on Lebanon's economic and financial situation. Relevant departments will continue to conduct in-depth investigations into the case to find out the truth and deal with it according to law.