Lebanon’s Central Bank governor charged with corruption

By KAREEM CHEHAYEB
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese officials say Beirut’s public prosecutor has charged the governor of the cash-strapped country’s Central Bank, his brother and an associate with corruption. Two judicial officials say the prosecutor, Raja Hamoush, on Thursday charged Gov. Riad Salameh, his assistant Marianne Howaiyak, and his brother Raja Salameh with embezzling public funds, forgery, illicit enrichment, money-laundering, and violation of tax laws. Once hailed as the guardian of Lebanon’s financial stability, many now hold the 72-year-old Salameh responsible for the country’s economic crisis, citing policies that drove up national debt and caused the Lebanese pound to lose more than 90% of its value against the dollar.