The United States sanctioned two businessmen accused of laundering money for Hezbollah

[Inkriql]

The US government announced Friday sanctions against two businessmen and their companies for allegedly participating in money laundering activities in favor of the Lebanese Shiite militia party Hezbollah.

The State Department has detailed that the sanctions have been imposed against Nazem Said Ahmed and Salé Assi, who operate from Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and would have "generated" tens of millions of dollars for Hezbollah.

"These designations underscore the point at which Hezbollah and its affiliates participate in illegal economic activities that prioritize the economic interests of terrorist groups over those of the Lebanese people," said the Department.

In this regard, the secretary of the treasury, Steven Mnuchin, has stated that “Hezbollah continues to use seemingly legitimate businesses as screen companies to obtain and launder funds in countries such as DRC, where they can use bribery and political connections to obtain unfair commercial access and evade taxes. ”

"This Administration will continue to take measures against those who finance Hezbollah, such as Nazem Said Ahmad and Salé Assi, who have used money laundering and tax evasion to finance terrorist plots and finance their own lavish life trains while the Lebanese people suffer." , Mnuchin stressed.

Ahmad, who has an important collection of weapons, is considered by Washington as one of the main donors of funds to Hezbollah, money that he obtains through his ties to "the trade in‘ blood diamonds ’."

For his part, Assi would have laundered money through Ahmad's diamond businesses and given financial coverage to Adham Husain Tabaja, against whom the United States imposed sanctions in the past for delivering funds to the militia party.

The United States considers Hezbollah a terrorist group, which has the support of Iran and has great weight in Lebanese political life.