Rahme brothers' OFAC designation highlights endemic electricity corruption: Under Secretary Nelson

The US Treasury has designated two Lebanese businessmen, Teddy Rahme and Raymond Rahme, to the OFAC sanctions list, highlighting the endemic corruption within Lebanon's electricity sector. 

The announcement was made by Brian Nelson, the US Department of the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, during a press briefing on Wednesday evening.

The Rahme brothers were accused of using their companies to secure energy contracts through an opaque process and profiting at the expense of the Lebanese people. The US action supports those in Lebanon who have been calling for transparency and reform amidst corruption and mismanagement that pushed the country into crisis.

Since October 2019, the Lebanese elites have ignored the public's calls for transparency and reform, while shielding their own assets from depreciating by transferring their own money out of the country to other jurisdictions, said Nelson.

The US Treasury imposed sanctions on the Rahme brothers, who were linked to ZR Energy DMCC, a company contracted by the Lebanese government to import 150,000 tons of fuel to help avoid a fuel crisis. Instead of importing quality fuel, the company imported tainted fuel, which destroyed power stations and took a toll on the Lebanese people.

The initial charges brought against the Rahme brothers and their companies pointed to a system put in place to falsify test results in exchange for bribes ranging from $200 to $2,500. The charges also revealed the gifts of all kinds, including vouchers, watches, ties, handbags, gold, and trips abroad, among others, according to local press. Despite these charges, Lebanese prosecutors never followed through with them.

The US Treasury's designation of the Rahme brothers is aimed at imposing personal financial costs on those who engage in corrupt practices at the expense of the Lebanese people, Nelson clarified. Corruption is particularly endemic to the electricity sector in Lebanon, and despite officials' vows to improve the provision of electricity, blackouts continue to hinder the provision of essential services.

Nelson added that in most countries, electricity production increases state revenues. Still, despite spending tens of billions of dollars over the past decades, the Ministry of Energy and Electricity Du Liban have left ordinary Lebanese vulnerable to the so-called generators mafia.

"The rest of the dysfunctional electricity sector has drained state funds and padded the foreign bank accounts of Lebanese businessmen," said Nelson.

The US Treasury hopes that the Rahme brothers will face financial consequences as they personally enriched themselves while their companies were importing tainted fuel and falsifying quality tests. The sanctions prohibit US persons from interacting with the Rahme brothers and their properties, which would result in financial consequences. Obviously, in terms of other legal consequences, that would be up to the Lebanese judicial system to determine whether the brothers should face legal consequences for their actions and the attendant consequences under Lebanese law.

The US Treasury's recent designation of the Rahme brothers is not the first time that the US government has taken action against corrupt actors in Lebanon. If corrupt activities continue, it will not be the last. The US government will continue to sanction those who profit from corruption, money laundering, and threats to the Lebanese people, Nelson added.

Nelson emphasized during the press briefing that the action was not related to the presidential election and that the US government prioritizes accountability and the rule of law in Lebanon irrespective of political affiliation or religion.

"The US government calls on Lebanese politicians to end the political gridlock, elect a president, form and empower a government, and undertake the reforms needed to pave the way for Lebanon's economic recovery. The US government encourages the Lebanese people to demand transparency and accountability from those choosing between continuing corrupt practices or creating change. The US government will continue to hold accountable those who engage in corrupt practices at the expense of the Lebanese people," Nelson concluded.