Lebanese Banks Facilitate Hezbollah Funding via Shell Corps

Insider documents from a major Lebanese bank, obtained through a whistleblower, detail how shell corporations registered in offshore financial havens were used to channel funds for Hezbollah. The documents illustrate a pattern of transactions designed to obscure the ultimate beneficiaries, with funds often moving through multiple intermediary accounts before reaching entities linked to the organization. This scheme allowed Hezbollah to circumvent international sanctions and continue its military and political activities in Lebanon and the wider region. The bank's compliance department, aware of the risks, reportedly prioritized maintaining relationships with influential depositors over adhering strictly to anti-money laundering regulations. This exposé highlights the critical role of certain Lebanese financial institutions in enabling the funding of designated terrorist organizations.