The background to the raid on Deutsche Bank on Friday is probably, among other things, the business of a member of the Assad clan. Investigators from the Frankfurt public prosecutor’s office, the Federal Criminal Police Office and officials from the Bafin financial supervisory authority had examined the bank’s premises in Frankfurt. The public prosecutor initially only confirmed that there was a search warrant. “Further information cannot be given at the moment due to the ongoing investigative measures,” said the authority on Friday around noon.
Deutsche Bank said the investigation was “related to money laundering reports submitted by the bank.” The bank cooperates with the authorities. Banks are obliged to report suspicious transactions to the authorities immediately. An insider confirmed a report by Handelsblatt, according to which the affairs of a family member of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were behind it. It is about the former Syrian Vice President Rifaat al-Assad. Although he was not a customer of the bank, the money house passed through a payment from him a few years ago via a correspondent bank without immediately submitting a suspicion report to the authorities as required. The bank only made this report last year when the Syrian was convicted of money laundering in Paris.