Saudi Arabia anti-corruption probe finds '$100bn was embezzled', 201 including princes held

A massive anti-corruption drive that began on Saturday revealed that funds worth at least 100 billion dollar were misused through systematic corruption in the recent decades, Saudi Arabia's Attorney General Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said.

At least 201 people which reportedly include senior prices, ministers and other influential businessmen were being held for questioning over embezzlement and corruption.

Without naming who is being held, Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb said the government “has a very strong evidence for this wrongdoing.”

While Saudi Arabia is still reeling from monumentals changes that are taking place under new Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, a major anti-corruption drive was started on Saturday.

The Attorney General said that normal commercial activities were not affected by the crackdown and only personal bank accounts of these suspect were frozen.

Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman himself is heading this newly-formed supreme anti-corruption committee and its investigations were progressing very quickly, the BBC quoted Sheikh Saud al-Mojeb as saying.

Princes, ministers and a billionaire business tycoon were among dozens of high-profile figures arrested or sacked at the weekend, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman consolidates power.

The purge comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Saudi Arabia and Iran facing off over a missile attack from Yemen and a political crisis in Lebanon after prime minister Saad Hariri's shock resignation announced from Riyadh.

(With PTI Inputs)