Person at $800 million Lebanese banking scandal center
Lebanon-Syria, Economics, 10/28/2005

The general appeals court in Beirut claimed on Thursday against Rana Qleilat who was released but still is being prevented from traveling outside the country over a financial corruption scandal connected to the Syrian security departments.

A Lebanese judicial source reported that the Attorney General accused Qleilat of "forgery of a passport and leaving the Lebanese territories, violating thereby judicial measures taken against her in Bank al-Madinah."

Banking is a very important industry in Lebanon, and Rana Qleilat was one of the former officials in the Bank al-Madinah. She has being sued over falsifying a document bearing the signature of the central bank of Lebanon and transferring assets outside the country at a cost of scores of millions US dollars. She was released by a guarantee on the eve of the departure of the Syrian forces from Lebanon on April 26th.

US News and World Report magazine had reported in April that "The chairman of the bank, a man named Adnan Abou Ayyash, says he lost more than $1.2 billion, and he blames Koleilat and a few cohorts. Depositors lost another several hundred million dollars. Lebanese authorities have charged Koleilat, Ayyash, and eight others in one of the biggest banking scandals in Lebanon's history."

US News and World Report added "behind the scenes there's an even bigger story--how the bank allegedly funneled money to powerful Syrian and Lebanese officials, laundered funds for Iraq's Central Bank when Saddam Hussein was in power, and funded Hezbollah."

US News and World Report added "Lebanese authorities have shown little curiosity in unraveling these ties or in answering questions," adding "Lebanese authorities have accused Ayyash (chairman of the bank, Adnan Abou Ayyash) of writing more than $50 million in bad checks. Ayyash says he is innocent of that charge and insists he did not participate in the looting of the bank. Authorities also charged Ibrahim Ayyash (vice president) in the bad-check case. He, too, maintains his innocence"

Rumors said that the amount of money for an account by Iraq's former president Saddam Hussein at the bank was for $500 million.

US News and World Report reported "depositors are out an additional $800 million. Where all the money went is anybody's guess. Lebanese authorities might be able to answer that question, but Ayyash believes they don't want to dig too deeply. The reason? Money was 'siphoned to very prominent figures in Lebanon and Syria,' he says."

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