Swiss regulators asked to investigate three banks in connection to Salameh allegations

BEIRUT – Opposition groups filed a complaint against the Swiss branches of Bank Audi, Bank Med and Julius Baer Bank with Swiss regulators Thursday, requesting “an in-depth investigation” of the three banks on suspicion of money laundering, corruption and illegally assisting Bank Du Liban head Riad Salameh.

Here’s what we know:

•  The Depositors’ Union, Beirut Madinati, Li Haqqi, Taqadoom, Lana, El Shaeb Youkawem el Fasad, who filed the complaint, said that all three banks “appear to have breached their anti-money laundering obligations when assisting the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Salamé, and his entourage to shelter funds which appear to be ill-gotten and derived from corruption.”

•  The groups called on the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) to investigate the three banks, who “all appear to have potentially sheltered corruption funds from Lebanon politicians in a breach of their anti-money laundering obligations.”

•  Salameh’s finances are currently under investigation in France, Germany Liechtenstein and Lebanon.

•  Last month, Mount Lebanon Public Prosecutor Judge Ghada Aoun issued a decision to freeze all Salameh’s real estate and cars.

Correction: An earlier version of this post stated that the complaint was against three banks with Lebanese branches. It is against three Swiss banks.