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Saudi government files lawsuit in Boston against former intelligence official  

April 2, 2021 at 5:00 pm

The then Deputy Crown Price Muhammad bin Salman Al Saud (L) of Saudi Arabia arrives at the Hangzhou Exhibition Centre to participate in G20 Summit, on September 4, 2016 in Hangzhou, China [Etienne Oliveau/Getty Images]

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia has filed a lawsuit in Boston against the country’s former top intelligence official accusing him of embezzling public funds, the Boston Globe reported.

The Kingdom accuses Saad Al-Jabri of buying luxury condominiums in Boston with a portion of the money he embezzled.

The lawsuit demands that Jabri return the $29 million with which he bought the Boston condos.

On his part, Jabri “says the condos were a legitimate investment and that Saudi Arabia’s current Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is simply trying to eliminate a political rival under the guise of an anti-corruption purge,” the Boston Globe reported.

The condos are located in a luxury building near the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Downtown Crossing, and they are currently being rented out.

Since Saudi’s de facto ruler Mohamed Bin Salman (often referred to in the media as MBS) replaced Muhammad Bin Nayef as crown prince in 2017, rivalry with his opponents among Saudi royals has played out intensely in local and international arenas. Al-Jabri was an advisor to and close associate of the ousted crown prince Bin Nayef.

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