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Saudi purge: Arrested Royals and officials given offer of freedom against large cash/assets

According to a report by Financial Times, arrested Royals, businessmen, and senior officials have been offered freedom against cash or assets. The corruption Committee led by the new Crown Prince Mohammad bin-Salman (MbS), which arrested scores of princes, incumbent ministers, businessmen, senior officials since earlier this month is reportedly negotiating settlements with those accused of corruption by the Committee.

According to the FT reporting, in some cases, the Saudi government is seeking to appropriate as much as 70 percent of the wealth and with more than 200 people arrested, the amount in question could be as high as $300 billion, though Saudi Arabia’s attorney general has said that he is investigating allegations of corruption amounting to at least $100 billion. The detainees include billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin-Talal, who kingdom investment fund is a prominent shareholder in companies such Citigroup, Twitter to name a few.

The move risks pushing the kingdom to a bitter power struggle that could last for years, even decades. There is a rumor circulating in the media that the current king Salman could give his throne to the new Crown Prince within next year or two.

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