Lebanese Prime Minister denies French accusations of money laundering

Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati denies French accusations of money laundering

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati defended his “honesty” and “transparency” of his assets on April 3 following a complaint filed in France accusing him of money laundering and other offenses.

Two associations have filed a complaint against Mikati with the French financial prosecutor’s office, accusing him of fraudulently building up assets in France and other countries, the agency said AFP on Wednesday from a source close to the matter.

The complaints stated that the Lebanese public considers Mikati, his brother Taha and their entourage to be “the embodiment of… the clientelism and conflicts of interest that led Lebanon to its downfall.”

In a statement sent to AFP and other media, Mikati said: “We strongly affirm that the source of our family wealth is completely transparent, legal and fully compliant with the law.”

The complaint filed by the financial crime victims’ collective CVPFCL of Lebanon accuses Mikati of money laundering, concealment or complicity, and criminal conspiracy as part of an organized gang.

Mikati made his fortune in telecommunications and became Lebanon’s prime minister for the third time in June 2022.

The two associations accuse him and his brother of possibly “acquiring various properties in France and abroad through numerous entities and through extremely large financial transfers.”

These include properties in Monaco and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, on the Mediterranean coast of France; 79-meter yacht “purchased for $100 million”; and two Falcon aircraft worth about $95 million.

Taha Mikati also reportedly owns a yacht worth $125 million.

According to Forbes magazine, both brothers are worth $2.8 billion, making them among the richest people in Lebanon.

In his statement, Mikati insisted that no member of the family or business “has been found guilty by any court, whether in Lebanon or anywhere else in the world.”