Bashar al-Assad’s uncle sentenced to four years in French prison for money laundering

A French court convicted Rifaat al-Assad, 82, of misappropriating Syrian public funds to expand his holdings in Europe.
Members of the Spanish Guardia civil stand during a raid targeting assets of the family of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in the Puerto Banus marina area of the plush resort of Marbella on April 4, 2017. The raids, a result of corruption investigation launched in France against Assad's uncle, Rifaat al-Assad, have seen the assets of Rifaat al-Assad and his family in Spain valued at 691 million euros ($736 million), seized. / AFP PHOTO / JORGE GUERRERO (Photo credit should read JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via
Members of the Spanish Guardia civil stand during a raid targeting assets of the family of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in the Puerto Banus marina area of the plush resort of Marbella on April 4, 2017. The raids, a result of corruption investigation launched in France against Assad's uncle, Rifaat al-Assad, have seen the seizure of the assets of Rifaat al-Assad and his family in Spain valued at 691 million euros ($736 million). - JORGE GUERRERO/AFP via Getty Images
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Al-Monitor Staff

The uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was sentenced to four years in a French prison after a Paris court found him guilty of money laundering and aggravated tax fraud. 

Rifaat al-Assad, 82, was convicted of embezzling Syrian public funds to expand his vast property portfolio in France, where he lives in exile. The court ordered the forfeiture of his estimated $113 million worth of French real estate assets, including two Paris townhouses, a chateau and a number of lavish apartments.

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