RIAD SALAMEH

The questioning period in the investigation into Riad Salameh, the chief of Lebanon's Central Bank, has been wrapped up. Salameh has been the central bank chief since 1993.

BEIRUT — (AP) — A European legal team on Friday ended two days of questioning of Lebanon’s central bank chief in Beirut in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor. The European delegation — with representatives from France, Germany, and Luxembourg — questioned Salameh through a Lebanese judge, acting as a go-between. The European team has set April 15 to start questioning the governor's brother, Raja Salameh and the governor's associate, Marianne Hoayek, the officials said on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. Salameh, who has repeatedly denied charges of corruption, has not made any public statements since his questioning started this week. Judge Helena Iskandar, who is representing the Lebanese state in the European questioning, charged on Wednesday Salameh, as well as Raja Salameh and Hoayek, with corruption.

Lebanese judicial officials say that a European legal team has finished two days of questioning of the country’s central bank governor in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor

Lebanese judicial officials say that a European legal team has wrapped up two days of questioning of the country's Central Bank chief in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor.

The Central Bank chief of Lebanon, which is grappling with its worst modern financial crisis, attended his first corruption hearing in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor.

BEIRUT — (AP) — Lebanon's embattled Central Bank chief appeared Thursday for questioning for the first time before a European legal team visiting Beirut in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor. Several European countries are investigating Riad Salameh, who in recent years has been charged with a handful of corruption-related crimes. Salameh has been Lebanon's central bank governor since 1993. Judicial officials told The Associated Press that Judge Helena Iskandar, who is representing the Lebanese state at the questioning in the European probe, charged Salameh, his brother Raja and associate Marianne Hoayek with corruption and ordered detained after the Central Bank chief did not show up. In addition to the European probe, there are other legal proceedings against Salameh underway in Lebanon.

Lebanon’s embattled Central Bank chief has appeared for questioning for the first time before a European legal team visiting Beirut in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor

Lebanon’s embattled Central Bank chief has been questioned for the first time before a European legal team visiting Beirut in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor.

Riad Salameh, his brother, and an associate were all charged with corruption and detained in Lebanon. Salameh failed to show up for questioning regarding a money laundering scheme.

Lebanon Central Bank's governor and two others were charged with corruption and embezzling public funds. Lebanon is in the midst of a historic economic and financial crisis.

BEIRUT — (AP) — The value of the Lebanese pound hit an all-time low Thursday, trading at 50,000 to the U.S. dollar, as the country's deeply-divided parliament failed to elect a president for an 11th time. The financial crisis has plunged three-quarters of the population into poverty, with millions struggling to cope with some of the world's sharpest inflation. They so far have questioned banking officials and former central bank officials. Switzerland and Liechtenstein have also opened probes against Salameh for money laundering allegations. It has continuously failed to agree on a new head of state since President Michel Aoun's six-year term ended on Oct. 30.

The value of the Lebanese pound has hit an all-time low, now trading at 50,000 to the U.S. dollar, as the country’s deeply-divided Parliament failed to elect a president for an 11th time

The value of the Lebanese pound has hit an all-time low, now trading at 50,000 to the U.S. dollar, as the country’s deeply-divided Parliament failed to elect a president for an 11th time.

President Michel Aoun has left Lebanon’s presidential palace, marking the end of his six-year term without a replacement.

Lebanon Central Bank Lebanese Judge Ghada Aoun, left, leaves the Central Bank following a raid to pursue embattled Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh on corruption charges in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein) (Bilal Hussein)BEIRUT — (AP) — Lebanese security forces, accompanied by an investigative judge, raided the country's Central Bank on Tuesday in a divisive investigation against the bank's embattled governor. The 71 year-old Central Bank governor, who has held the post for the past three decades, still enjoys the backing of most Lebanese political parties. On Tuesday, the investigative judge arrived at the Central Bank headquarters in Beirut with Lebanese state security personnel, apparently trying to find Salameh. “What is required is to solve this case with a prior political agreement on a Central Bank governor, and then take the appropriate legal course," Mikati said.

Lebanon Central Bank Lebanese Judge Ghada Aoun, left, leaves the Central Bank following a raid to pursue embattled Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh on corruption charges in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. Judge Ghada Aoun had been investigating Governor Riad Salameh, and in March charged him with illicit enrichment and money laundering. The 71 year-old Central Bank governor still enjoys backing from post of Lebanon’s political parties, and has been in the post for nearly three decades. The judge arrived to the Central Bank headquarters in Beirut with personnel from Lebanese State Security, and entered the premises to try to find Salameh. “What is required is to solve this case with a prior political agreement on a central bank governor, and then take the appropriate legal course after," Mikati said.

A Lebanese investigative judge and security personnel have raided the Central Bank in a probe against the country’s embattled governor

A Lebanese investigative judge and security personnel have raided the Central Bank in a probe against the country's embattled governor.

A European Union agency says authorities in three European countries have frozen more than $130 million in assets linked to an investigation into money laundering in Lebanon

Lebanon’s prime minister says talks between his government and the International Monetary Fund over an economic recovery plan should make progress in the next two weeks

Lebanon’s central bank governor says he asked an auditing firm to look into transactions and investments and that contrary to media reports, the results showed no public money has been misused.

Setting up an offshore company is not illegal, but reinforces the perception that the wealthy and powerful play by different rules—a particularly upsetting notion for many Lebanese. One focus of the revelations is Riad Salameh, who has been Lebanon’s central bank governor for nearly 30 years. He is listed as its full owner and sole director, which Daraj said appeared to violate Lebanese laws forbidding the central bank governor from activity in any enterprise. Salameh’s office told The Associated Press that the central bank governor has no comment on the documents. Prime Minister Mikati, a businessman who formed a new government last month, has owned a Panama-based offshore company since the 1990s.

A trove of leaked documents shows that for years, Lebanon’s politicians and bankers have stowed wealth in offshore tax havens and used it to buy expensive properties.

As more Lebanese fall into poverty in the country's economic crisis, increasing numbers are turning to the financial arm of the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group for help. He could still pull out the dollars in his account at the al-Qard al-Hasan Association, the financial arm of the militant Hezbollah group. Stepping in where the state and financial institutions have failed, Hezbollah is providing a vital lifeline for some Lebanese. Over the past year, the al-Qard al-Hasan association has seen a significant increase in clients, despite it being under U.S. Treasury sanctions since 2007. That has proven a boon for the al-Qard al-Hasan association, as some turned to it as an alternative to store their cash.

(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)BEIRUT Lebanon's prime minister held an emergency Cabinet meeting Friday after a night of raging protests that saw demonstrators shut down roads across the country with burning tires in renewed protests spurred by a plunging national currency. Prime Minister Hassan Diab canceled his scheduled meetings for the day and called for an emergency session to discuss the crisis. The renewed demonstrations amid calls for Diab's resignation are a huge challenge for the prime minister who took over in December after his predecessor, Saad Hariri, resigned amid nationwide protests late last year. Despite efforts to control the currency depreciation in recent weeks, the Lebanese pound tumbled to more than 6,000 to the dollar on Thursday, down from 4,000 on the black market in recent days. Lebanons financial crisis predates the virus pandemic that put the country in a total lockdown for months, further compounding the crisis.

Lebanese banks opened to customers on Friday for the first time in two weeks following an unprecedented wave of protests that led the prime minister to resign, with small numbers of customers queuing as the doors opened. "He is not officially declaring capital controls, but left it to the banks to do it," a senior banker told Reuters. Salameh told Reuters on Monday there would be no capital controls and no haircut when banks reopen. After protests subsided on Wednesday, the Association of Banks in Lebanon said the banks would reopen as previously announced on Friday to provide for "pressing and fundamental needs" including salary payments. A stagnant local economy and a slowdown in cash injections from Lebanese abroad have put pressure on the central bank's foreign currency reserves in recent years.