US-Treasury-sanctioned Moukalled: 'My company was raided, threatened'

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Journalist and economic expert Hassan Moukalled on Friday held a press conference to comment on the US decision to place him and his two sons on the so-called sanctions list.

On January 24, the US Treasury Department announced that the United States has introduced sanctions against Moukalled and his sons, as well as three entities over their alleged links to Hezbollah.

During the press conference, Moukalled affirmed that 15 days after the US decision, the investigations showed that CTEX company, which he owned, did not commit any violations.

The journalist said he was subjected to intimidations and threats in order not to provide documents and data.

He revealed that he and his sons were asked to change their behavior, noting that the slander campaign targeting them is ongoing.

Moukalled, who was recently sanctioned by the US alongside his 2 sons, said in a press conference today, "After 15 days on the #US decision, investigations showed that there were no violations committed by Citex company, which I own." pic.twitter.com/jmHAu4IXns

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 10, 2023

Moukalled stressed that the US decision is political, which has already been said since day one.

Addressing the US Ambassador in Lebanon, Moukalled said the US Treasury Department granted CTEX a license to operate several months ago, pointing out that this is the first time in the penal code that sanctions are announced through the media, rather than through personal reporting.

The economic expert confirmed that he never combined his political opinion with his work, stressing that he does not conceal his stances in support of the Resistance and his relationship with Syria.

He clarified that the accusation of being a financial and economic advisor to Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah is an honor that he does not claim.

Moukalled indicated that his company was subjected to an armed raid and threatened several times, due to the impact that the company had in devaluing the dollar more than once, adding that the scale of the attacks that the company was subjected to prevented it from working for several days.

The journalist also revealed that Israeli companies offered to enter into investments with CTEX, pointing out that he had received threats to either accept the investments of these companies, or else things will head in another direction.

He added that friends from several countries alerted the company that the fabricated files against it were already prepared.

Moukalled announced that the law firm in the United States will start working on the charges against him, his sons, and his company, starting next Monday.

"We will start working with legal measures against everyone who slandered us inside and outside Lebanon and those affiliated with foreign embassies," he stressed.

"We are rightful, and we will defend this right against all slanders," he underlined.

Moukalled pointed out that 120 families are threatened by sanctions against CTEX, adding that the Lebanese state is silent for fear of the US.

It is noteworthy that CTEX is a Lebanese joint stock company. According to Moukalled, the company is duly registered in the Commercial Register and is officially listed on the list of exchange institutions according to Decision No. 13349 issued by the Central Bank of Lebanon on 7/30/2021, after it has met the legally required conditions.

He added that CTEX is subject to the oversight of each of the Committee on Banking Supervision and the Special Investigation Commission. 

Elsewhere, Moukalled insisted that everything mentioned in the US Treasury's announcement about the ownership of CTEX, the advisory role and the implementation of business deals on behalf of a specific political party, and the alleged coordination with partisan figures, attributed to him or his son Rayyan, are nothing but fabrications that lack seriousness and accuracy.