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MECATTAF

State Security unseals money transfer company Mecattaf

State Security unseals money transfer company Mecattaf

Employees of the Mecattaf company, on May 10, 2022 in front of the company's entrance, after the brief lifting of the justice seals. (Credit: Marc Fayad/OLJ)

BEIRUT – State Security rescinded the sealing of money transfer company Mecattaf which had been imposed as part of Mount Lebanon Court of Appeals public prosecutor Ghada Aoun’s investigation of money laundering at the firm.

Here’s what we know:

    • Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation Ghassan Oueidat ordered General Security to unseal Mecattaf after Aoun had refused to do so, the firm’s lawyer Marc Habka told L’Orient Today.

    • The decision to remove the red wax seals placed on the company’s doors was the subject of judicial controversy in the past weeks. An urgent matters judge had approved the unsealing, but the decision was contested by Aoun a few hours after it had been issued.

    • In April 2021, Aoun ordered Mecattaf be sealed and conducted a search of the company’s headquarters in Awkar, Metn, despite having been removed from the case, and seized of documents and computers. Following the search, Judge Aoun was called to appear before the Judicial Inspection Authority, at the request of the Supreme Judicial Council.

    • Mecattaf is among the few companies holding a Category A license, permitting the export of different currencies in exchange for dollars, a part of which is meant for distribution to Category B license-holding currency exchangers. Mecattaf also has the prerogative of repatriating dollars deposited abroad by Lebanese banks. On March 18, CEO Michel Mecattaf died at the age of 52 from a heart attack. The case against his company is still ongoing. 

BEIRUT – State Security rescinded the sealing of money transfer company Mecattaf which had been imposed as part of Mount Lebanon Court of Appeals public prosecutor Ghada Aoun’s investigation of money laundering at the firm.Here’s what we know:    • Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation Ghassan Oueidat ordered General Security to unseal Mecattaf after Aoun had refused to...