Lebanon receives Interpol notice for its central bank governor who was no-show at Paris questioning

BEIRUT — Lebanon on Friday received an Interpol notice for the country’s embattled central bank governor who failed to show up in Paris earlier in the week for questioning in a key corruption case, officials said. Interpol listed Salameh’s notice on its website, adding that he is wanted by France for “criminal conspiracy with intent to commit offenses punishable by ten years of prison”, “organized money laundering”, and aggravated tax fraud. On Friday, Salameh reiterated that he intends to appeal the Interpol notice because he did not receive the summons for questioning in Paris in person, “according to the rules and laws.” The Central Bank returned the summons, which had arrived while Salameh was absent from the bank, according to judicial officials. During a visit to Lebanon in March, the European delegation questioned Salameh about the Lebanese central bank’s assets and investments outside the country, a Paris apartment — which the governor owns — and his brother Raja Salameh’s brokerage firm Forry Associates Ltd. Once hailed as the guardian of Lebanon’s financial stability, Salameh since late 2019 has been heavily blamed for Lebanon’s financial meltdown.