US, UK and Canada sanction Lebanon’s former central bank chief Riad Salameh

The US Treasury announced coordinated sanctions with Canada and Britain on Thursday against Riad Salameh, Lebanon’s longtime central bank chief who recently left office without a successor.

Salameh is wanted for alleged financial crimes in several European countries and stepped down at the end of his term in late July after three decades in the post. He has denied all the charges and vowed to challenge them.

The 73-year-old’s “corrupt and unlawful actions have contributed to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon,” the US Treasury department said in a statement, adding that its action had been coordinated with Britain and Canada.

“Salameh abused his position of power, likely in violation of Lebanese law, to enrich himself and his associates by funneling hundreds of millions of dollars through layered shell companies to invest in European real estate,” the statement said.

Sanctions were also imposed against “four close associates of Salameh, including members of Salameh’s family and his primary assistant,” it said.

The sanctions effectively freeze any US-based assets of Salameh and his associates and prohibit transactions between them and US citizens or businesses.

The statement made clear the sanctions do not apply to the Lebanese central bank.

Salameh remains the subject of judicial investigations at home and abroad into allegations including embezzlement, money laundering, fraud and illicit enrichment, charges that he denies.

He is wanted in France and Germany, and Interpol has issued a Red Notice for his arrest, but Lebanon does not extradite its nationals.

A European diplomatic source has told AFP that Salameh is soon to be tried in Paris.

France, Germany and Luxembourg seized assets worth 120 million euros ($135 million) in March 2022 in a move linked to a probe into Salameh’s wealth.

In February, Lebanon also charged Salameh with embezzlement, money laundering and tax evasion as part of its own investigations.