Alwaleed bin Talal

Alwaleed bin Talal was detained during the anti-corruption campaign of November 2017. Reuters sources reported discussions involving allegations such as money laundering, corruption and extortion. He was released in January 2018 following a financial settlement whose full terms were not made public.

State of the evidence

Settlement

Attribution

Directly implicated

In November 2016, Alwaleed published a widely reported appeal for an immediate end to the ban on women driving, describing it as an infringement of rights and an economic cost. His intervention reignited an extremely sensitive debate in the kingdom and opposed the positions of the most conservative religious and social circles.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated

After Donald Trump proposed temporarily banning Muslims from entering the United States, Alwaleed publicly called him a "disgrace" and urged him to withdraw from the presidential race. Trump responded by calling him, among other things, "dopey" and claiming that he wanted to control American politicians using family wealth. The dispute continued on social media and in the press.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated

Alwaleed bin Talal sued Forbes in London after the magazine valued his fortune at approximately 20 billion dollars, a figure he considered too low. In 2015, the parties announced an amicable settlement on mutually acceptable terms.

State of the evidence

Settlement

Attribution

Directly implicated

In 2013, London's High Court ruled in favour of a businesswoman claiming a commission of 10 million dollars on the sale of a private aircraft to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The judgment rejected Alwaleed's account of the commission agreement.

Attribution

Directly implicated