Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09RIYADH976
2009-07-29 06:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Riyadh
Cable title:
MORE ON FINANCIAL TROUBLE AT GOSAIBI AND SAAD
how-toVZCZCXRO8883 PP RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDIR DE RUEHRH #0976 2100636 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 290636Z JUL 09 FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1288 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON PRIORITY 0014 RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000976
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC DAS DOUG HENGEL AND NEA/ARP JOSH HARRIS
TREASURY DEPARTMENT FOR ANDREW BAUKOL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2019
TAGS: ECON EINV PINR PGOV CJ SA
SUBJECT: MORE ON FINANCIAL TROUBLE AT GOSAIBI AND SAAD
GROUPS, AND CAYMAN COURT DECISION, FROM GOSAIBI FAMILY
REF: DHAHRAN 168
Classified By: DCM David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L RIYADH 000976
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC DAS DOUG HENGEL AND NEA/ARP JOSH HARRIS
TREASURY DEPARTMENT FOR ANDREW BAUKOL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2019
TAGS: ECON EINV PINR PGOV CJ SA
SUBJECT: MORE ON FINANCIAL TROUBLE AT GOSAIBI AND SAAD
GROUPS, AND CAYMAN COURT DECISION, FROM GOSAIBI FAMILY
REF: DHAHRAN 168
Classified By: DCM David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: Saud Al-Gosaibi (strictly protect),chairman
of the Ahmad Hamad Al-Gosaibi and Brothers Co (AH
Al-Gosaibi),told Econoff that a court in the Cayman Islands
decided July 24 to freeze 9.2 billion dollars of Maan
Al-Sanea's assets. Saud hopes this ruling will put pressure
on the Saudi central bank (SAMA) to investigate Al-Sanea's
role in AH Al-Gosaibi's defaults. Saud asserted that SAMA
favored Al-Sanea in the investigation and implied it would be
possible to link Al-Sanea to more nefarious international
criminal activities. We must stress that to date the Gosaibi
family is our only source of information on these
allegations. End Summary.
2. (SBU) At the invitation of Abeer Alghamdi (Saud
Al-Gosaibi's wife),Econoff visited the Gosaibi home for
breakfast in Riyadh July 27. Somewhat unexpectedly Saud
al-Gosaibi and his brother Yusuf also were there. Saud and
Yusuf explained they had come to Riyadh to meet with "the
SAMA committee" (NFI) that day at 1pm to discuss the ongoing
financial trouble of AH Al-Gosaibi and the Saad Group.
Combined, the two Saudi firms have defaulted on roughly $7
billion of nearly $17 billion in debt. Saud Al-Gosaibi
blames his brother-in-law, Saad Group's owner Maan Al-Sanea
-- previously involved heavily in both firms' business
operations -- for both their current difficulties.
3. (C) Saud said that a court in the Cayman Islands decided
July 24 to freeze 9.2 billion dollars of Maan's assets,
including 41 companies Al-Sanea reportedly has registered
there. This information is not yet public but should be in
the press once Maan is served by the court, he said.
4. (C) Saud hopes this ruling will put pressure on the Saudi
Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) committee, which he said
includes a bank inspector and a lawyer, to resolve the
investigation into Al-Sanea's role in their company's
defaults. Saud asserted the committee still had not started
any "real" investigation. SAMA Governor Muhammad Al-Jasser
wants a peaceful resolution and is only interested in saving
the banks, he said, not in uncovering the truth about what
had been going on in the business groups involved. Referring
to King Abdullah, Saud explained "the Monarch is on our side,
SAMA is on Maan's side." According to Saud, SAMA has
presented the Gosaibis with an arrangement in which Al-Sanea
would be liable for 40 percent of the debt and the Gosaibis
for 60 percent. This arrangement had been discussed with
Al-Sanea but was a non-starter for the Gosaibis, and in
particular Saud said "we can't afford" 60 percent of what is
owed (Note: This is the first solid indication we have had
that the Gosaibis will not be able to meet their debts should
their legal efforts to shift them to Al-Sanea fail).
5. (C) Regarding the recently-publicized legal case in New
York in which the Gosaibis are suing Al-Sanea, Saud said his
lawyer was talking to Al-Sanea's lawyer and the case could
move to London. The U.S. court reportedly is interested in
the money laundering aspects of the case. Outside of their
immediate financial concerns, Saud implied Al-Sanea could be
linked to more nefarious international criminal activities.
Saud said Al-Sanea two years ago spent two weeks in southern
France with a Russian businessman, holding several
confidential meetings onboard a yacht off the French coast.
Saud implied this information came to light during the
Gosaibi family's investigation into Al-Sanea's activities.
6. (C) Comment: Saud appeared stressed about the upcoming
SAMA meeting. He constantly tapped his feet and chain-smoked
throughout the breakfast meeting. Although it was somewhat
unexpected that Saud and his brother would be at the
breakfast, the Gosaibis are clearly eager for the U.S.
government to hear their side of this dispute. Post passes
on the potential lead information in paragraph five to
relevant agencies for review. End comment.
RUNDELL
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EEB/ESC DAS DOUG HENGEL AND NEA/ARP JOSH HARRIS
TREASURY DEPARTMENT FOR ANDREW BAUKOL
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/27/2019
TAGS: ECON EINV PINR PGOV CJ SA
SUBJECT: MORE ON FINANCIAL TROUBLE AT GOSAIBI AND SAAD
GROUPS, AND CAYMAN COURT DECISION, FROM GOSAIBI FAMILY
REF: DHAHRAN 168
Classified By: DCM David Rundell for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Summary: Saud Al-Gosaibi (strictly protect),chairman
of the Ahmad Hamad Al-Gosaibi and Brothers Co (AH
Al-Gosaibi),told Econoff that a court in the Cayman Islands
decided July 24 to freeze 9.2 billion dollars of Maan
Al-Sanea's assets. Saud hopes this ruling will put pressure
on the Saudi central bank (SAMA) to investigate Al-Sanea's
role in AH Al-Gosaibi's defaults. Saud asserted that SAMA
favored Al-Sanea in the investigation and implied it would be
possible to link Al-Sanea to more nefarious international
criminal activities. We must stress that to date the Gosaibi
family is our only source of information on these
allegations. End Summary.
2. (SBU) At the invitation of Abeer Alghamdi (Saud
Al-Gosaibi's wife),Econoff visited the Gosaibi home for
breakfast in Riyadh July 27. Somewhat unexpectedly Saud
al-Gosaibi and his brother Yusuf also were there. Saud and
Yusuf explained they had come to Riyadh to meet with "the
SAMA committee" (NFI) that day at 1pm to discuss the ongoing
financial trouble of AH Al-Gosaibi and the Saad Group.
Combined, the two Saudi firms have defaulted on roughly $7
billion of nearly $17 billion in debt. Saud Al-Gosaibi
blames his brother-in-law, Saad Group's owner Maan Al-Sanea
-- previously involved heavily in both firms' business
operations -- for both their current difficulties.
3. (C) Saud said that a court in the Cayman Islands decided
July 24 to freeze 9.2 billion dollars of Maan's assets,
including 41 companies Al-Sanea reportedly has registered
there. This information is not yet public but should be in
the press once Maan is served by the court, he said.
4. (C) Saud hopes this ruling will put pressure on the Saudi
Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) committee, which he said
includes a bank inspector and a lawyer, to resolve the
investigation into Al-Sanea's role in their company's
defaults. Saud asserted the committee still had not started
any "real" investigation. SAMA Governor Muhammad Al-Jasser
wants a peaceful resolution and is only interested in saving
the banks, he said, not in uncovering the truth about what
had been going on in the business groups involved. Referring
to King Abdullah, Saud explained "the Monarch is on our side,
SAMA is on Maan's side." According to Saud, SAMA has
presented the Gosaibis with an arrangement in which Al-Sanea
would be liable for 40 percent of the debt and the Gosaibis
for 60 percent. This arrangement had been discussed with
Al-Sanea but was a non-starter for the Gosaibis, and in
particular Saud said "we can't afford" 60 percent of what is
owed (Note: This is the first solid indication we have had
that the Gosaibis will not be able to meet their debts should
their legal efforts to shift them to Al-Sanea fail).
5. (C) Regarding the recently-publicized legal case in New
York in which the Gosaibis are suing Al-Sanea, Saud said his
lawyer was talking to Al-Sanea's lawyer and the case could
move to London. The U.S. court reportedly is interested in
the money laundering aspects of the case. Outside of their
immediate financial concerns, Saud implied Al-Sanea could be
linked to more nefarious international criminal activities.
Saud said Al-Sanea two years ago spent two weeks in southern
France with a Russian businessman, holding several
confidential meetings onboard a yacht off the French coast.
Saud implied this information came to light during the
Gosaibi family's investigation into Al-Sanea's activities.
6. (C) Comment: Saud appeared stressed about the upcoming
SAMA meeting. He constantly tapped his feet and chain-smoked
throughout the breakfast meeting. Although it was somewhat
unexpected that Saud and his brother would be at the
breakfast, the Gosaibis are clearly eager for the U.S.
government to hear their side of this dispute. Post passes
on the potential lead information in paragraph five to
relevant agencies for review. End comment.
RUNDELL