Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. (Credit: Dalati & Nohra)
BEIRUT — A more than three-year-old investigation in Monaco into alleged money laundering by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and his family has been closed, Mikati's press office announced Friday.
"In a letter, Monaco’s Deputy Attorney General stated that the case, which was entrusted to Monaco’s Judicial Police on July 15, 2020, had been closed," read the statement from Mikati's press office.
Monaco's prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, nor did Mikati's press office.
In a letter seen by Reuters, Monaco's deputy public prosecutor, Morgan Raymond, informed Mikati's legal team that the investigation had been closed, saying the money laundering charges appeared unfounded.
"The Mikati family was always confident that this would be the outcome as it was aware that there was no basis to these claims," the Mikati press office statement continued. "The Monaco judicial decision follows a confirmation from the Princely Court of Liechtenstein that there are no pending investigations against the Mikati family in Liechtenstein and there have not been any in the past, as had been alleged by previous media reports."
According to Mikati's press office, "there are no ongoing investigations, queries or indictments against any of the Mikati family in any jurisdiction."
“I am delighted that this case has been closed after the European and Lebanese authorities found no evidence to support the allegations," Mikati was quoted as saying in the statement, accusing the investigation of being "politically motivated."