Bassil Denies Requesting Hizbullah Help in Detaining Ezzedine
Caretaker Telecommunications Minister Jebran Bassil denied accusations that he has requested Hizbullah assistance in detaining Lebanese financier Salah Ezzedine.
In an interview with LBC, Bassil said he did not call Hizbullah security chief Wafiq Safa to inform him of Ezzedine”s return to Beirut or that he had asked him to arrest Ezzedine.
Dubbed "Lebanon”s Bernard Madoff" by the local and international press, Ezzedine made headlines last month after he filed for bankruptcy and was placed under arrest. Madoff, the disgraced Wall Street financier, is serving a 150-year sentence for fraud.
Lebanese authorities have charged the 47-year-old mogul and his business partner, Youssef Faour, with fraud, embezzlement, distributing bounced checks and violating Lebanese fiscal law.
During a lengthy court hearing Sept. 25, Ezzedine continued to deny all charges pressed against him, including fraud and embezzlement.
He told the judge that he has $100,000 million-worth of investments and deposits abroad, but that he will not be able to get profit before 2010.
"I could then pay my debts," Ezzedine said.