Saudis detain 298 government employees in corruption probe

Saudi authorities have detained 298 government employees, including military officers, and will indict them on crimes, including abuse of power, bribery, money laundering and corruption, according to an anti-corruption body called Nazaha.

The total sum of misused funds amounted to SAR379m ($101m), Nazaha said in a series of tweets on Sunday. Those detained include retired defense ministry officers, Interior Ministry officials and two judges, it added.

Hundreds of royals and senior businessmen were arrested in November 2017 and locked up in Riyadh’s Ritz-Carlton hotel in a so-called corruption campaign that hurt business confidence in the kingdom.

Sunday’s announcement came less than 10 days after Saudi authorities rounded up the brother and a nephew of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, according to a person familiar who said the two men were plotting a coup.