French prosecutors have placed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's uncle, suspected of using ill-gotten gains to build a vast real estate empire, under investigation for corruption and money-laundering.
Rifaat al-Assad, 78, a Syrian former vice president, is accused of acquiring millions of pounds’ worth of assets in France illegally.
Mr Assad, who served as head of the feared Defense Companies paramilitary unit in the 1970s and 80s, went into exile in Europe after a failed coup against his brother Hafez, Bashar’s father, in 1984. He now lives between France, Spain and Britain.
The inquiry into his finances was triggered in 2013 after Sherpa, an activist group representing the victims of financial crime, lodged a complaint which claimed his fortune was stolen during his time at the heart of the Syrian regime.
He was placed under formal investigation on June 9, legal sources said, in an indication that the evidence against him is building and he is likely to face charges.
Rifaat al-Assad, who has four wives, claims his portfolio, which includes a stud farm and luxury apartments around Europe, was acquired legally. The Assad family claims Rifaat's fortune was the result of gifts from wealthy Saudi supporters, including former king Abdullah, with whom he shared a love of horse-racing.
After the investigation was opened, Mr Assad's lawyer, Marcel Ceccaldi, denied any wrongdoing, and said his client's property holdings, dating back to 1984-86, were legal and transparent.
However Sherpa alleges his fortune is far beyond what he would have earned as a commander and accuse him of siphoning off Syrian public funds and abusing power.
Mr Assad was once dubbed the “butcher of Hama” over his alleged involvement in a massacre in the western city of Hama, in which as many as 25,000 people were killed. His brother Hafez, who was president at the time, had tried to crush an Islamist uprising by the Muslim Brotherhood. Rifaat denied any involvement and was never indicted by an international court.
Mr Assad moved to France shortly after, having been welcomed by then president Francois Mitterrand, who later decorated him with the Legion of Honour.
He has spent the last three decades between his properties in Paris, Marbella and his £10m Georgian townhouse in Mayfair.
In 2013 he tried to sell a luxurious seven-storey townhouse in Paris as French authorities opened investigations against other foreign dignitaries believed to have acquired property in France with the proceeds of corrupt dealings. However, the sale fell through because a Russian potential buyer offered only €70 million. The asking price was €90 million.
He has been banned from leaving France apart from trips to London for health reasons.
A sworn opponent of the current regime in Syria, he has distanced himself from his family and has worked with opposition groups trying to bring an end to Bashar's rule.
adidas cosmic boost on feet and ankle