1 of the world's richest men, Trump foe, & member of the Saudi Royal family has been arrested in KSA

[basquebromance]

shit's getting serious with these reforms in Saudi Arabia!

Billionaire Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal reportedly arrested in corruption crackdown

 

[usmbguest5318]

Yet again, and in contravention of conspiracy theorists' assertions, we observe that wealth does not put one above the law. Rich folks have plenty of advantages, but that's not among them.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Yet again, and in contravention of conspiracy theorists' assertions, we observe that wealth does not put one above the law

Almost always does. Ask Bill and Hillary and Ted.

 

[usmbguest5318]

Yet again, and in contravention of conspiracy theorists' assertions, we observe that wealth does not put one above the law

Almost always does. Ask Bill and Hillary and Ted.

Regardless of what transpired with regard to those individuals, they are not nearly as wealthy as the Saudi prince. What that informs us of is that, all other things being equal, one's ability to avoid arrest is not a function of one's wealth for were it, the prince would not have been arrested.

 

[waltky]

Saudi Prince Alwaleed Among Dozens Arrested for Corruption...

Saudi Prince Among Dozens Arrested for Corruption; Donor to Carter, Clinton, Georgetown, Harvard
November 6, 2017 – The most prominent of dozens of princes and others arrested in a weekend “anti-corruption” sweep overseen by the heir to the Saudi throne is a billionaire whose largesse has benefited recipients ranging from the Carter Center and Clinton Foundation to Georgetown and Harvard universities and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

The arrest of Alwaleed bin Talal and others was one of the first actions taken by an anti-corruption committee set up by King Salman’s decree under the leadership of his son and heir, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It has been tasked to “identify offenses, crimes, persons and entities involved in cases of public corruption.” Just five months ago, the king promoted Mohammed bin Salman to the position of crown prince, deposing in the process his own nephew, Mohammed bin Nayef. The anti-corruption arrests are being seen as the latest move by 31-year-old crown prince to purge potential rivals. Those detained included the head of the powerful National Guard, Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, and the commander of the Saudi Navy, Abdullah Al-Sultan.

The inclusion among those detained of Alwaleed bin Talal – named by Forbes magazine as the world’s 45th richest person, with a net worth of more than $18 billion – has been most startling. Alwaleed is founder and chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, which is currently building the world’s tallest tower, in Jeddah, and owns sizeable share stakes in Twitter and 21st Century Fox, the parent company of Fox News Channel. Kingdom Holding Co. said Sunday it was continuing “normal business operations” and that it “affirms the support of the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” Alwaleed’s philanthropic foundation has given “$1 million or more” in cumulative donations to the Carter Center, and between $100,000 and $250,000 to the Clinton Foundation.

In 2005, Alwaleed’s donation of $20 million to Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding was the second biggest single gift in the university’s history. The center was subsequently renamed “the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.” Another $20 million donation secured the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Islamic studies program at Harvard. (Alwaleed at the same time gave similar gifts to programs at the Universities of Edinburgh in Scotland, Cambridge in England, and the American Universities in Beirut and Cairo.) A year after 9/11, Alwaleed donated $500,000 to CAIR, to finance a campaign “to defend Islam” in American society. CAIR says the donation was used “to help further efforts to eradicate ignorance and misinformation about Islam.” Also after 9/11, Alwaleed fell afoul of then-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani who rejected a $10 million donation after the Saudi prince linked the terrorist attacks on U.S. policies in the Middle East, including its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Other influential Saudis arrested at the weekend include Middle East Broadcasting Corporation owner Waleed Al-Ibrahim – whose stable includes the Al-Arabiya television network – and Bakr bin Laden, the chairman of the Saudi Binladen Group, the construction conglomerate founded by Osama bin Laden’s father. Like Alwaleed, Bakr bin Laden has also given “$1 million or more” in cumulative donations to the Carter Center. The Saudi Binladen Group is involved with Alwaleed in the project to construct the Jeddah Tower. The Saudi daily Arab News quoted Attorney-General Saud Al-Muajab, also a member of the new anti-corruption committee, as saying the investigations now underway are being carried out in accordance with Saudi laws and regulations “in a manner appropriate to the nature of the crimes.” “The suspects are being granted the same rights and treatment as any other Saudi citizen,” he said. “A suspect’s position or status does not influence the firm and fair application of justice.”

Saudi Prince Among Dozens Arrested for Corruption; Donor to Carter, Clinton, Georgetown, Harvard

 

[waltky]

Sweep of arrests marks a change...

With Saudi Arrests, Crown Prince Shows He Can Force Change. But It's Not Democracy
November 6, 2017 • The weekend's arrests don't mean Saudi Arabia is opening up to democracy. The rulers are unelected monarchs with a record of jailing critics and minorities. But the sweep of arrests marks a change.

The Saudi prince behind the weekend's unprecedented arrest of high-level Saudi officials and businessmen is known as young and brash, and has even been called reckless. He is also known to be in tune with Saudi Arabia's youth; those under 25 make up a majority of the country's population. The prince's latest high-risk move has gotten rave reviews from Saudis on Twitter, the country's most popular social media outlet. Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, or MBS, as the 32-year-old leader is known, is gambling that he can modernize the ultra-conservative kingdom by consolidating power and mobilizing a generation of young people, say Saudi analysts inside and outside the kingdom. "Did MBS just pull a red wedding?" asked one supporter on Twitter, comparing the weekend's purge to a bloody family massacre on Game of Thrones.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends the Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh last month. "We are returning to what we were before — a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions and to the world," he said at the economic forum.​

Arrests began on Saturday, hours after the prince was named to head a new anti-corruption commission. The roundup included 11 princes, sitting and former cabinet officials and one high-profile businessman — billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, one of the world's richest men, who has extensive investments in Western companies including Twitter, Apple and the Four Seasons hotel chain. The detentions were headline news on Al Arabiya, a Saudi-owned news channel. These high-profile targets were previously considered untouchable in the Saudi kingdom and follow other controversial moves, including a royal decree allowing women to drive and limits on the power of the religious police.

It does not mean Saudi Arabia is opening up to democracy. The country's rulers are unelected monarchs with a record of jailing critics and members of the Shiite minority. And the purge — action taken by a single leader — is very much in keeping with Saudi royal tradition. But the sweep of arrests marks a change. "It is unprecedented, more for the speed and the scale," says H.A. Hellyer, a fellow at the Royal United Services Institute in London and the Atlantic Council. Mohammed bin Salman is sending a message, he says: "This guy is in charge and nobody is off the table."

Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal waves in the West Bank city of Ramallah in 2014. He is among dozens of Saudi princes and former government ministers arrested over the weekend as part of a sweeping anti-corruption probe, further cementing King Salman and his crown prince son's control of the kingdom.​

The crown prince is a Saudi-educated son of the current King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud Salman. In a surprise move, he was elevated in June to become next in the succession, replacing his older cousin. "His position is already secure. It's not like he was being challenged. Everyone suspects he will be announced as the new king. But you can always consolidate more," says Hellyer. In one of his first TV interviews after his June promotion, Mohammed bin Salman pledged to tackle endemic corruption in the kingdom. "No one who got involved in a corruption case will escape, regardless if he was a minister or a prince," he warned. It turned out to be no idle threat. "Many of them have been known as deeply corrupt," said a Saudi official who supports the crown prince and requested anonymity to discuss the arrest list — which includes former CEOs of Saudi Telecom and Saudi Airlines, four sitting cabinet ministers and high-profile business leaders from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's business capital on the Red Sea coast. Some had close personal relations to the crown prince.

MORE

 

[initforme]

With billionaires is immorality. The two go hand in hand ....no matter the so called party. Easy call.

 

[Blackrook]

Now that he's arrested all these rich and powerful men, what will he do with them?

To truly neutralize them permanently, he will have to kill them.

Otherwise, they will use their power and influence to slip out of his fingers, and then a possible counter-coup.