Accountability Now is a Swiss foundation whose mission is to support Lebanese civil society in its desire to put an end to the impunity of leaders.
Switzerland
Joined March 2021
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Former minister and Dechert lawyer Camille Abu Sleiman has lost Swiss court proceedings against Accountability Now and its president, Swiss lawyer Zena Wakim.
The Swiss judges questioned the “evidentiary value” of material submitted by Abu Sleiman, raising concerns about “how they were obtained” in circumstances that “remain unclear.” Abu Sleiman was ordered to pay CHF 6,000 (US$ 7,200) in legal costs. The judgment against Abu Sleiman is final and executory.
According to criminal proceedings initiated by Banque du Liban, more than US$600 million in central bank funds were channeled through Bankmed and Bank Audi for the benefit of senior Lebanese politicians and banking figures.
The series of transactions were structured by Camille Abu Sleiman, who acted as legal counsel to Bank Audi and Bankmed while also advising Banque du Liban, raising serious questions about potential conflicts of interest.
Accountability Now intends to refer the conduct of Abu Sleiman and Dechert to the relevant UK professional regulator, seeking scrutiny of the pressure exerted on civil society actors, potential conflicts of interest, and the acquisition and use of evidence. This includes false written allegations made by Samara Azzi in support of Abu Sleiman’s unsuccessful application. Separately, the Swiss court found the probative value of two exhibits submitted by Abu Sleiman doubtful because the circumstances in which they had been obtained remained unclear.
The ruling marks a significant victory for civil society against legal pressure aimed at restricting investigations into corruption and impunity in Lebanon.
The Lebanese Depositors Union had previously publicly denounced alleged threats and attempts at blackmail by Abu Sleiman, which it said were intended to force it to abandon its criminal complaints in Lebanon.
Samir Hanna was indicted today in Lebanon over the suspected embezzlement of $154 million in 2010 and $102 million in 2012, allegedly channeled through a sophisticated scheme involving Bank Audi that benefited politically exposed individuals. Former central bank governor Riad Salameh has also been indicted.
Today’s indictment vindicates the investigations and criminal filings of Accountability Now, who was first to expose the alleged use of fictitious Cayman Islands companies, MOSF and Levant, to channel corruption proceeds — a scheme now confirmed by the prosecutor.
A suspected $1bn+ money-laundering scheme run by Bank Audi France and Lebanon is targeted by Accountability Now in a criminal complaint filed with the French prosecutors (PNF). The alleged fraud includes hundreds of millions of dollars of unverified cash deposts in a manner reminiscent of Project Cassandra as well as over $40m to Alaa Khawaja, through Audi France, in the wake of the allegedly fraudulent acquisition of 38% in BankMed capital facilitated by Samir Hanna.
Three years after the case was initiated by us, HSBC has now been indicted in France over its alleged role in helping Riad Salameh divert hundreds of millions of dollars. lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/art…
1️⃣Accountability Now has filed a sanctions submission with the @USTreasury against Speaker Nabih Berri. The filing presents a compelling case for his designation based on rampant corruption, state capture, control over a suspicious oil cartel tied to the Zahrani oil installations
1/3 French victims of the Beirut port explosion have been awarded tens of thousands of euros through proceedings led by Accountability Now in France. We will continue to support all victims — regardless of nationality — pro bono, with ongoing investigations in the USA and Europe.
2/3 Reducing the case to mere negligence in storing military-grade ammonium nitrate is deeply concerning. We will keep urging the magistrates involved to pursue the broader corruption network that enabled the blast, using every available legal avenue.
The French financial Prosecutor office (PNF) confirms the launch of an investigation relating to a suspected 154 million dollar fraud involving Bank Audi, Mr. Samir Hanna, Mr. Riad Salame and a former senior official following a criminal complaint filed by ACTS Accountability Now.
It is suspected that the scheme aimed at allowing Mr. Salame to become an anonymous shareholder of Bank Audi, and to personally benefit from billions of dollars of profits made by the bank via the “financial engineering”.
Further investigations are currently led by Accountability Now in relation to Bank Audi and Mr. Samir Hanna with respect to suspected embezzlement of public funds for their own benefit. The funds seem to have been partly reinvested in real estate in France.
Following a criminal complaint submitted by ACTS in France, the French financial prosecutors (PNF) opened an investigation into suspected dirty money invested in France, potentially involving senior Lebanese officials, Bank Audi, and its CEO Mr. Samir Hanna.
Accountability Now retweeted
Another great victory by @NowActs
Lebanese banks have covered up unexplained wealth, money laundering, drug money and terrorism money for too long. Great to see their foreign subsidiaries held to account.
Following two filings made by Accountaiblity Now and several Lebanese associations against Bank Audi Switzerland and its leaders, the bank was sanctioned today by the Swiss Financial Regulator (FINMA) who confiscated the proceeds of the crime by ordering "the disgorgement of illegally generated profits totalling CHF 3.9 million" and imposed "a risk surcharge of CHF 19 million on the minimum capital to be held". Our filing targeted also Bank Med, Julius Baer and HSBC.
Accountability Now will continue its fight to end impunity and hold the leaders of each of these banks personnaly accountable for assisting in the embezzlment of public funds, for the benefit of the Lebanese political elite.
Following two filings made by Accountaiblity Now and several Lebanese associations against Bank Audi Switzerland and its leaders, the bank was sanctioned today by the Swiss Financial Regulator (FINMA) who confiscated the proceeds of the crime by ordering "the disgorgement of illegally generated profits totalling CHF 3.9 million" and imposed "a risk surcharge of CHF 19 million on the minimum capital to be held". Our filing targeted also Bank Med, Julius Baer and HSBC.
Accountability Now will continue its fight to end impunity and hold the leaders of each of these banks personnaly accountable for assisting in the embezzlment of public funds, for the benefit of the Lebanese political elite.
In a landmark ruling by the American judiciary in favour of the American victims of the Beirut port explosion, all motions filed by publicly traded US-Norwegian geophysical services group TGS ASA and TGS-NOPEC Geographical Co are dismissed.
Full discovery will commence with the expectation of an eventual jury trial held in the United States in relation with the Beirut port explosion and the larger corruption network that led to the blast.
Earlier this month TGS agreed to turn over all relevant documents relating to the Rhosus, the explosives, its seismic operations as well as its dealings with Lebanese politicians, entities or individuals in and outside of Lebanon in any way connected to the blast. Accountability Now will make sure that justice prevails, for all victims of the blast.
Raja Salameh, Nady Salameh, Anna Kosakova and Marianne Hoayek are sanctioned in addition to Riad Salameh pursuant to E.O. 13441 for having "materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Salameh."
🧵1/ Accountability Now has submitted recommendation for targeted sanctions at the @USTreasury and the @EUCouncil against politicians or civil servants who have failed their public service mandates by pursuing their own private interests to the detriment of the Lebanese people’s.
A couple of months after Accountabiliy Now submission for sanctions with US Treasury and the Council of the EU, Riad Salameh and his close associates are sanctioned, in a global move joined by the UK and Canada. More sanctions should be issued soon against those who "Perpetuated the perception that elites in Lebanon need not abide by the same rules that apply to all Lebanese people", as stated by the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson
The European Parliament calls on targeted sanctions against Lebanese politicians endangering the rule of law. This is a historical vote which supports the quest of civil society in Lebanon and our filing for sanctions with the EU Council. Here is the full text of the resolution:
europarl.europa.eu/doceo/doc…