Lebanon Delays Salameh Hearing After Former Central Banker Falls Ill
BEIRUT-A Lebanese court on Thursday postponed a hearing for former central bank governor Riad Salameh after he failed to appear because of illness, a judicial official said, delaying proceedings in a case involving allegations of embezzlement, illicit enrichment and money laundering.
Salameh, who led Lebanon’s central bank from 1993 until July 2023, was scheduled to appear before a Beirut court in connection with a complaint filed by current central bank governor Karim Soueid. The case concerns allegations that Salameh embezzled public funds and accumulated illicit wealth during his three decades in office.
According to the judicial official, a judge had previously ordered authorities to escort Salameh to court after he did not attend an earlier hearing. Instead, the 76-year-old chose to travel voluntarily with his lawyer but became ill while on his way to the Justice Palace, prompting the judiciary to postpone the session.
Last month, investigators held an initial hearing at Salameh’s residence because of his deteriorating health, with a judge conducting the questioning at his home.
Lebanon’s central bank has said it considers itself the victim of an alleged embezzlement scheme involving several hundred million euros, accusing its former governor of misappropriating funds with the assistance of individuals within his circle.
Salameh has consistently denied all allegations against him. He has maintained that he committed no wrongdoing and has argued that he is being used as a “scapegoat” for Lebanon’s financial collapse, which began in 2019.
He was arrested in September 2024 and charged with multiple offenses, including the alleged embezzlement of $44 million from the central bank.
A year later, Salameh was released after posting bail of more than $14 million, one of the largest bail amounts in Lebanon, although authorities prohibited him from leaving the country pending legal proceedings.
The former governor is also the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by French authorities in May 2023 as part of separate investigations into his financial dealings.
In May this year, the Swiss subsidiary of British lender HSBC was formally indicted in Paris. French investigators suspect the bank’s Swiss unit assisted Salameh in the alleged embezzlement of funds.
The proceedings against Salameh form part of broader domestic and international investigations into allegations of financial misconduct linked to Lebanon’s banking sector and public institutions, as the country continues to grapple with the consequences of its prolonged economic crisis.
