Egypt's Illicit Gains Authority freezes Mubarak family assets
Marwa Hussein, Thursday 20 Oct 2011
Freezing of first family assets came after recent report Switzerland is investigating alleged involvement of members of Mubarak’s clan in money laundering


A decision to freeze the assets of Mubarak's family was issued on 16 October, Egypt's Illicit Gains Authority revealed during a Thursday press conference.

The decision was issued after Switzerland revealed the two sons of the deposed president Hosni Mubarak had stashed a whopping $340 million in Swiss banks.

The majority - some $300 million - was held in the name of Alaa, Mubarak's elder son.

"The committee cannot issue a decision to freeze the assets of any accused person unless it has strong suspicions he is involved in an illicit gain crime," read a statement issued by the Authority.

The press conference's main aim was to respond to Mubarak’s lawyer, Farid El-Deeb, who has threatened to file a complaint against the government for revealing secrets from the investigation into the Mubarak family's wealth.

El-Deeb told media that he hadn’t yet filed the complaint because he underwent an eye operation on Tuesday, but that he is determined to pursue the complaint.

El-Deeb said that what has been reported about the Mubarak’s family money in Switzerland was revealed by Alaa Mubarak himself during the investigations.

"Revealing it was against both the ban and agreement over the confidentiality of information discussed during the investigations," said El-Deeb.

"Investigations are already completed, and so is a decision freezing the assets of the two accused [Alaa and Gamal Mubarak], their parents, sons and wife”.

Switzerland announced a few days ago that authorities there were undertaking judicial investigations against members of Mubarak’s family after allegations surfaced over money laundering and forming a "criminal gang organisation".

Egypt's former tourism minister Zoheir Garana, and business magnate Yassin Mansour are also accused of similar crimes.

El-Deeb added that allegations that the sons of the president were involved in money laundering had been investigated in Switzerland in 2005, and that case was closed.

El-Gohary said that Egypt was unaware of these earlier investigations.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/24697.aspx