UPDATE 1-Judge questions Lebanon's detained ex-central bank chief Salameh, sources say

Salameh was long feted as a financial wizard in Lebanon but left office with his reputation shredded by corruption charges at home and abroad and the catastrophic collapse of Lebanon's financial system in 2019. Judicial sources told Reuters last week Salameh was accused of accruing more than $110 million via financial crimes involving Optimum Invest, a Lebanese firm that offers income brokerage services.

A judge began interrogating Lebanon's detained former central bank governor Riad Salameh in Beirut on Monday, judicial sources said, the first hearing since he was held last week and charged with alleged financial crimes including embezzling public funds.

The judge questioning Salameh, who ran the central bank for three decades until July 2023, is expected to decide whether to keep him in detention or release him pending further questioning over alleged embezzlement, forgery and illicit enrichment. Salameh's media office has said he would not comment publicly on the case, in line with the law. It said in a statement he had cooperated in the past with more than 20 criminal probes in Beirut and Mount Lebanon, and was cooperating with the investigation after his detention.

Salameh has denied previous corruption charges. If the prosecution continues, it would mark a rare case of a serving or retired senior Lebanese official facing accountability in a system which critics say has long shielded the elite.

A group of protesters shouted "Thief!" as a convoy they believed was transporting Salameh entered the justice ministry building. Some of them struck one of the vehicles with their hands. Salameh was long feted as a financial wizard in Lebanon but left office with his reputation shredded by corruption charges at home and abroad and the catastrophic collapse of Lebanon's financial system in 2019.

Judicial sources told Reuters last week Salameh was accused of accruing more than $110 million via financial crimes involving Optimum Invest, a Lebanese firm that offers income brokerage services. Optimum Invest has said it was assisting the judicial authorities in their investigation and providing them with all requested information, and that its dealings with the central bank were conducted in full compliance with the law.

The Lebanese authorities have not published the charges. The charges brought against Salameh last week are separate from previous charges of financial crimes linked to Forry Associates, a company controlled by his brother, Raja. The brothers - who deny any wrongdoing - were accused of using Forry to divert $330 million in public funds through commissions.

Several European countries including France and Germany have been investigating whether tens of millions of dollars of the funds allegedly embezzled from the central bank were laundered in Europe. Last year, French and German authorities issued warrants for his arrest. The Munich prosecutor's office said in June that German authorities have cancelled their arrest warrant for technical reasons but were continuing their probe and keeping Salameh's assets frozen.

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