Stephanie Saliba Reveals She Met Riad Salameh On A Plane
After her non-arrest on Wednesday and subsequent arrest on Friday, Lebanese actress Stephanie Saliba has revealed some juicy details about her relationship with Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh.
According to Al-Akhbar newspaper, Saliba revealed to Mount Lebanon judge Ghada Aoun that she met Riad…*drumroll please*…on an airplane in first class. According to Saliba, the pair hit it off and exchanged numbers. Interestingly, it seems like she made the first move. After exchanging numbers, they chatted a few times before their relationship became a “loving” one, according to Saliba.
Preliminary investigations into Saliba have revealed that she owns five properties across the country, including at least two in Mdawar and Ghazir. Her primary residence is in an apartment with a view overlooking Zaytouna Bay. Her rent is estimated to be $25,000 a month. According to Al-Akhbar, Saliba managed to transfer $500,000 to a foreign bank account after October 17, with the help of Salameh.
So far, Saliba has refused to lift banking secrecy off her accounts, preventing further investigations. The Mount Lebanon judge has sent a request to get banking secrecy lifted of Saliba’s accounts, but Salameh chairs the committee that makes those decisions. Lol.
In a dramatic twist, it seems that Ghada Aoun was tipped off about Saliba by Riad Salameh’s wife, Nada Salameh. Aoun had led a raid into the Salameh household, and found communications from Nada to Riad complaining about his spending on the actress. Nada informed the judge that she and her husband had been separated for a while, on account of things like his relationship with Saliba.
She confirmed to Aoun that the central bank governor had assisted Saliba in getting two housing loans, and hinted at Salameh potentially using Saliba in his money laundering operations. We respect the spitefulness, Mrs. Salameh.
Saliba is still being held by the Lebanese authorities, pending the completion of their investigation. Hopefully, more juicy details about this illicit affair will soon follow.
