Lebanon's former central bank governor, who served for 30 years, was detained after being questioned in multiple corruption cases. Widely praised for his role in Lebanon's economic recovery post-civil war, he left office under scrutiny last year. Several European countries are investigating him for alleged financial crimes, with many in Lebanon blaming him for the country's financial crisis since late 2019.
The ex-governor denies corruption, embezzlement, and illicit enrichment allegations, attributing his wealth to inherited properties, investments, and his past job as an investment banker. He was interrogated for over three hours by the top public prosecutor on various financial matters, including allegations of manipulating financial statements to conceal losses.
