A number of former and incumbent Saudi officials, as well as princes, were detained by Saudi authorities amid the anti-corruption operation in the country, including 11 princes from the ruling family and four ministers from the current government. During the investigation, 320 people were questioned and over 2,000 bank accounts were frozen.
According to Reuters citing a Saudi official, all detainees in the corruption probe have been released from the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
The development comes just days after media reported that Saudi Arabian billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal had been released from his detention in Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel, converted into a luxurious prison to hold royalty and the country’s officials.
Over week earlier, Saudi Arabia’s former Finance Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf was reportedly also released from the Ritz-Carlton and was cleared from all charges, which allows him to retain his positions as both a minister and king’s adviser.
In early November, the Saudi king issued a decree establishing a new anti-corruption committee in the country chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Few days later, a number of former and incumbent Saudi officials, as well as princes, were detained by the authorities amid the anti-corruption campaign, including 11 princes from the ruling family and four ministers from the current government. During the investigation, 320 people were questioned and over 2,000 bank accounts were frozen.
The arrested high-ranking figures might reportedly keep their positions if they agree to cooperate with investigators, refusing money, allegedly involved in the corruption scheme.