The Beirut Indictment Commission charged former central bank governor Riad Salameh in the high-profile “Consulting Account” case, accusing him of embezzling nearly $44 million and referring him to criminal court for trial.

Salameh faces multiple counts under Lebanon’s Penal Code, including embezzlement of public funds, forgery and illicit enrichment. The court also ordered the issuance of an arrest warrant against him.

Salameh, who ran Banque du Liban for three decades before stepping down in 2023, was detained for around 13 months over alleged financial crimes linked to his tenure. He was released in September after posting a record bail exceeding $14 million. He remains in Lebanon under a travel ban and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

The court has called for further investigations into the roles of bank board chairpersons and managers, seeking to clarify their involvement in the transactions and determine legal responsibility should any negligence or misconduct be confirmed.

Authorities have requested that the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Financial Affairs examine how the funds were deposited into banks and subsequently withdrawn without notifying the central bank’s Special Investigation Commission. The probe will also scrutinize how the central council of Banque du Liban authorized these withdrawals.

In addition, lawyers Marwan Issa Al-Khoury and Michel Tueni have been charged with embezzlement, forgery, and illicit enrichment in connection with the same case, paving the way for their prosecution under standard legal procedures.

The Consulting Account case centers on allegations that Salameh directed transfers from the central bank’s consulting account to Tueni, who then issued checks to Al-Khoury. Al-Khoury allegedly returned the checks to Salameh, who endorsed them and deposited the funds into his personal account.

In statements to Reuters, Al-Khoury rejected the accusations, saying he had no knowledge of any “consultancy account,” had not participated in the central bank’s financial operations and had never received funds from the institution. He argued that the indictment itself called for the continuation of the investigation and said charges should not have been brought before the inquiry was completed. He added that the probe had already shown he received no money or fees linked to central bank transactions.