ZURICH, (Reuters) – Riad Salameh of Lebanon’s central bank is open to meeting Swiss prosecutors to answer questions on their money-laundering probe. This he stated in a television interview.

Salameh faces investigations in five European countries and Lebanon into the embezzlement of $330 Million in public funds. He was assisted by Raja, his brother. Both have denied the charges.

He said that he had already told the Swiss justice authorities that he was ready to leave. The interview, which aired from Beirut on Wednesday night, was broadcast by Swiss radio station SRF.

“Because they’ve asked them in February 2020 whether (interviews) they can do with me in Lebanon, or Switzerland. “I said that I was ready to travel to Switzerland…I wait for them to call me.”

Last year, the Swiss attorney general stated that it requested legal aid from Lebanon to assist with a probe into money laundering and embezzlement related to the Lebanese central banks.

Based on the request, Salameh was interrogated by Lebanon’s public procuror last year.

Salameh’s personal wealth was estimated at $150 million. This is a result of investments that grew from $23 Million in 1993, before Salameh became the head of the central banking system.

Salameh answered a question about property he held in Switzerland through proxy companies. He mentioned a Morges building that he never saw.

He stated that he used both bank loans and investment advisors to acquire property.

Europe’s criminal justice coordination agency reported that Lebanese assets were frozen in France, Germany Luxembourg Monaco, Monaco, Belgium and Luxembourg as part of an embezzlement probe. German prosecutors claimed that the move was linked to investigations into Salameh.

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