Latest news with #KarimSalam
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Former Lebanese economy minister Amin Salam arrested over corruption allegations
Former Lebanese economy minister Amin Salam was arrested on Wednesday following an investigation into alleged financial crimes, a senior judicial source has told The National. Mr Salam was arrested by order of Judge Jamal Hajjar, Lebanon's top prosecutor at the Court of Cassation. The former minister is being investigated for alleged falsification, embezzlement of public funds and blackmailing insurance companies. He was questioned several times in May by Judge Hajjar and has been placed under house arrest and issued with a travel ban. The investigation also involves Mr Salam's brother and business partner, Karim Salam, who has been in detention since April, the judicial source said. The former minister's arrest follows a complaint filed two months ago by Lebanese MP Farid Boustany, who chairs the parliamentary economy committee, over allegations of 'embezzlement, extortion and waste of public funds'. The committee alleges Mr Salam awarded overpriced contracts to foreign firms for services that did not justify the costs, and misappropriated funds from the Insurance Companies Contribution Fund, which is overseen by the Economy Ministry. At a press conference in March, Mr Salam denied any wrongdoing and slammed what he described as 'attacks' against him. He denounced entrenched 'mafias' who opposed reforms, and accused Mr Boustany of having personal motives behind the complaint. In an interview with The National in January, weeks before a new government was installed, Mr Salam called for an end to the old corrupt political class, which he described as 'a virus in the body, fighting back in every way possible'. 'They see [government] as a deal where they want the biggest share and profit,' he said. On June 2, the acting head of the State Litigation Department, Judge Claude Ghanem, filed a complaint against Mr Salam with Judge Hajjar, following a request from current Economy Minister Amer Bsat, Lebanese daily L'Orient-Le Jour reported.
LBCI
04-04-2025
- Business
- LBCI
Lebanon cracks down on corruption: Karim Salam facing embezzlement charges
Report by Lara El Hachem, English adaptation by Mariella Succar Lebanon's financial public prosecutor has indicted Karim Salam, the brother of former Economy Minister Amin Salam, on charges of bribery, forgery, embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, and illicit enrichment. Financial Prosecutor Judge Ali Ibrahim interrogated Karim Salam on Thursday and, after hearing his testimony, ordered his detention and referred the case to First Investigative Judge of Beirut, Bilal Halawi. Halawi is expected to question Salam next Tuesday. The indictment stems from a case involving the alleged extortion of an insurance company, which the criminal court had investigated. Judge Samir Akiki, head of the court, had previously requested the conviction of Fadi Tamim, an unofficial adviser to Minister Amin Salam, and referred the case back to the financial public prosecution to take appropriate action against three individuals, including Karim Salam. In December, Lebanon's Special Investigation Commission at the central bank froze Karim Salam's accounts due to irregular transactions. Judicial sources have not disclosed details of the investigation leading to Salam's arrest. However, sources familiar with the case say that when Salam was his brother's right-hand man at the Economy Ministry and the Insurance Control Commission, he misused funds from the commission's treasury. Salam's defense attorneys have questioned the charges, arguing that the investigation was initially limited to the insurance company case and that their client has no connection to those companies. They also expressed surprise that the other two individuals recommended for indictment by the criminal court were not charged and that the Special Investigation Commission's report on Salam's financial transactions was not presented. Additionally, Karim and Amin Salam are reportedly involved in another case concerning their work at the ministry. The parliamentary economy committee referred the case to the Court of Cassation on charges of embezzlement, extortion, public fund misappropriation, and money laundering. The Internal Security Forces' Information Branch is handling the investigation.
