Saudi Arabia is expected to take a 35% stake in the multinational construction conglomerate Saudi Bin Laden Group (SBG) as part of a financial settlement with state authorities, Reuters reports.
The stake represents the total shares of SBG’s Chairman Bakr Bin Laden and his brothers Saleh and Saad, whom were all detained in an anti-corruption crackdown in November alongside numerous businessmen, officials and princes.
SBG announced two months ago that some shareholders might transfer part of their stakes to the government against outstanding dues. However, a formal transfer has not yet taken place.
Most detainees were released upon making similar deals with the authorities, who seized more than USD 100 bn in assets through these settlements. The government did not disclose details about who was detained, what they were accused of and how much they gave up.
SBG, which had more than 100,000 employees at its height, is the largest real estate developer in Saudi Arabia and is important in the kingdom’s plans to diversify the economy beyond oil through developing the real estate, industrial and tourism sectors.
Following the Bin Laden brothers’ detention, Saudi’s ministry of finance formed a five-member committee, consisting of two other Bin Laden brothers in addition to three independent businessmen to restructure the company.