Hammoud Replies to Berri: All Lebanese Banks Transferred Funds Abroad
Chairman of the Banking Control Commission of Lebanon (BCCL) Samir Hammoud replied to Speaker Nabibh Berri’s statement on Friday saying that all Lebanese banks, not just five of them, have transferred a total of $2.3 billion to banks in Switzerland after the October 17 uprising.
“Reports that owners of five Lebanese banks have transferred $2.3 billion are inaccurate. According to our information, the entire Lebanese banks, not just five of them, have sent funds equivalent to that amount to Swiss banks between October 17, 2019 and January 10, 2020,” said Hammoud in remarks to the daily.
“BCCL is aware of the total amounts transferred to Switzerland, but the committee does not have the legal right to know the owners, and therefore there are no known names at all,” added Hammoud.
On Wednesday, during his weekly Ain el-Tineh meeting with lawmakers, Berri said he managed to “confirm” that the owners of five Lebanese banks have sent their “personal money” abroad, estimated at $2.3 billion, despite the informal capital controls that have been imposed on depositors since November.
07 February 2020, 11:28
00
We « don’t have the legal right to know the owners »!!??
No Sir!
It is them who dis not have the legal right to transfer!!
Give us the names!! Give us the names!!!!
07 February 2020, 14:16
00
So basically he is saying yes we stole the money from the banks and what are you or anybody else going to do about it? Somebody needs to start a legal claim in the international courts to recover the funds and name the thieves and have them put in jail where they belong.
07 February 2020, 18:35
00
Thanks for the clarification, but doesn't the money belong to the depositors? if they are able to transfer millions and yet the ordinary depositor is only allowed a couple of hundred dollars here and there as the bank deems it necessary? That is illegal, you are right they will just amend the law to make it legal... what a banana republic
