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 Articles 459, 460, 454-460-459, and 638. He is also accused of illicit enrichment, and an arrest warrant has been issued against him.

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the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Financial Affairs examine how the funds were deposited into banks and subsequently withdrawn without notifying the central bank’s Special Investigation Commission.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.