Ziad Takieddine

Ziad Takieddine
Ziad Takieddine in 2017.
Born	(1950-06-14) 14 June 1950 (age 74) Baakline, Lebanon
Nationality	Lebanese and French
Education	American University of Beirut University of Reading
Occupation	Businessman
Spouse	Nicola Johnson (divorced)

Ziad Takieddine (Arabic: زياد تقي الدين, Zyād Taqī al-Dīn; born 14 June 1950) is a Lebanese-French businessman, described by The Telegraph as an "arms broker".^[1][2][3][4]

Early life

Ziad Takieddine was born on 14 June 1950 in Baakline, Lebanon into a Druze family.^[5] His uncle Saiid Takieddine was Lebanese Ambassador in London, and his father was Ambassador in various countries.^[5] He was educated at the American University in Beirut and the University of Reading in England.^[5]

Career

In the 1990s, he was the manager of the Isola 2000 ski resort in Isola, Alpes-Maritimes, France.^[1]

He later facilitated arms dealing between France and Middle East countries, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Syria and Libya.^[1][2] He was condemned to a five-year prison sentence by the French Court of Justice of the Republic in June 2020 for using some of those funds to finance the unsuccessful presidential campaign of former French Prime Minister Edouard Balladur in the context of the Karachi affair.^[3][4][6]

He facilitated the release of Bulgarian nurses from Libya and organized Libya President Muammar Gaddafi's 2007 visit to France.^[2] He has since accused former French President Nicolas Sarkozy of taking 50 million euros from Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi from 2006 to 2007^[7] to finance his presidential campaign, a claim echoed by Saif al-Islam Gaddafi.^[2][4]

On 4 December 2020, he was detained in Lebanon due to allegations of covert financing to Sarkozy's presidential campaign.^[8] On 8 December, Lebanon ordered his release, but also imposed a travel ban on him.^[9]

Personal life

His ex-wife, Nicola Johnson, is British-born.^[1][3] She has accused him of tax evasion in France.^[3] Takieddine owned Warwick House in London's Holland Park district via a company in the tax haven of the British Virgin Islands.^[10] It was sold to neighbour Brian May for £12 million following the divorce settlement. In 2013 Takieddine was denied entry to the United Kingdom following an "allegation of fraud" and was forced by British police to return to France.^[11] Takieddine is the first cousin, once removed of lawyer and activist Amal Clooney, as the first cousin of Clooney's father.^[12]

References

1. Ziad Takieddine: The ski-resort owner with a taste for the high life, The Independent, January 2, 2013
2. John Lichfield, If Sarko took Gaddafi cash, why oust him?, The Independent, January 6, 2013
3. Henry Samuel, Briton in divorce with French arms broker husband could hold key to 'Karachi affair' , The Daily Telegraph, August 30, 2011
4. Gaddafi Financed Sarkozy Campaign In 2007, Claims Arms Dealer Ziad Takieddine, The Huffington Post, 01/03/2013
5. Fabrice Arfi (1 October 2014). Le sens des affaires: Voyage au bout de la corruption. Calmann-Lévy. pp. 53–54. ISBN 978-2-7021-5557-8. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
6. Affaire Karachi, prison ferme pour les six prévenus du volet financier, Le Dauphine, June 15, 2020
7. Interview of Ziad Takieddine on Mediapart
8. Businessman linked to Sarkozy corruption allegations detained in Beirut - sources, Reuters, December 4, 2020
9. Lebanon orders release, travel ban on businessman tied to Sarkozy case, Reuters, December 8, 2020
10. "Neighbours from hell". Private Eye. No. 1404. 30 October 2015. p. 37.
11. "Arms deals fixer Ziad Takieddine refused entry and returned to France". The Independent. 31 December 2013. Archived from the original on 2022-05-07. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
12. McAuley, James (2018-03-20). "France's Sarkozy detained over allegations of taking money from Libya's Gaddafi". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01. Retrieved 22 May 2024.