According to The Athletic , Yasir al-Rumayyan could face a lawsuit for $74 million.
The legal papers sent to Al-Rumayyan in Saudi Arabia, New York, London, and the stadium owned by PIF in England allege that the 53-year-old had “carried out” the instructions of the current Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, with the “malicious intent” to “harm, silence, and eventually destroy” the family the former intelligence chief of the Kingdom, Dr. Saad Aljabri. The Aljabris are seeking $74million in damages.
Aljabri served as a top aide for former Saudi prince Mohammed bin Nayef. He was removed from office in 2017 and is currently in detention. Reuters claimed that bin Nayef was forced to step down “in an effective coup” but a Saudi official denied the claim.
From the Athletic
The claim Aljabri hopes to bring against Al-Rumayyan will, if the Canadian court grants permission, allege that defendants including Al-Rumayyan were “directly involved” in a three-and-a-half-year campaign between June 2017 and January 2021 to pursue the family of Saad Aljabri, who is a former top aide to Prince Mohammed bin Nayef.
Why is a Canadian court needed? Aljabri fled Saudi Arabia in 2017 for Turkey and made his way into Canada. In a Canadian lawsuit filed three years ago, Saudi state firms claimed that Aljabri embezzled state funds worth hundreds of millions. Aljabri denied the accusation.
In the documents that were sent to Al-Rumayyan in this month, the Canadian court was asked to grant permission to Al-Rumayyan to be not only added to a court case already pending but also to bring a new claim against them. In the legal documents, Mohammed Al Al-Sheik and PIF were also listed as co-defendants.
This potential lawsuit is coming at a bad moment for LIV Golf as well as the PGA Tour. The Saudi-backed circuit will host its first event in Mexico in less than a week. PGA Tour Enterprises is in discussions with the PIF, as well as outside investors, to create a for-profit entity. Bin Salman, the chairman of PIF, is Al-Rumayyan. Al-Rumayyan had also been originally tasked to lead the board of the new entity if an agreement was reached.
Read the report for more information on the tensions between Crown Prince Bin Salman, Aljabri, and the Kingdom’s involvement in the sovereign wealth fund.
