Saudi Arabia: Prince accused of graft freed after he paid $1 billion as settlement, says official
Miteb bin Abdullah was arrested on November 4 along with dozens of other high-ranking officials during an anti-corruption crackdown.
Saudi Arabian Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, who was among dozens of high-ranking officials arrested as part of the kingdom’s anti-corruption crackdown earlier this month, was released on Tuesday after he agreed to pay $1 billion (approximately Rs 6,430 crore) as settlement, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
Abdullah, who is the son of late King Abdullah, was the minister of the national guard before he was arrested on November 4. Later, Saudi Arabia said it had detained 208 people for questioning as part of its anti-corruption crackdown, and was investigating embezzlement to the tune of $100 billion (approximately Rs 64.3 lakh crore).
Abdullah was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms. “It is understood that the settlement included admitting corruption involving known cases,” an unnamed official, who is involved in the anti-corruption crackdown, as quoted as saying.
At least three other suspects have finalised similar agreements and may be released soon, the official told Reuters.