Corrupt central bank governor allegedly helped push Lebanon’s economy off the cliff

On July 31, 2023, Riad Salameh retired from a 30-year tenure as the governor of Banque du Liban (BdL), the central bank of Lebanon. Instead of a retirement party and a flattering press release detailing his time at BdL, 16 days later, Wassim Mansouri, Salameh’s successor, froze Salameh’s bank accounts after the U.S., Britain and Canada had imposed sanctions on him for “contributing to the breakdown of the rule of law in Lebanon” following decades of alleged corruption. The international coalition contends that several close to Salameh helped him funnel $330 million in funds from BdL through shell companies to invest in European real estate and illegally amass a fortune. Interpol has issued “red notices” for him — requests to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest him. Also, at least seven European authorities, including French and German prosecutors, have created arrest notices for him.