Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Harari arrives in the Saudi capital and shows up at Prince MbS’s residence wearing jeans and sneakers. But the meeting isn’t what he expected… The Lebanese Prime Minister and his guards are searched, disarmed, stripped of their cell phones and belts, and put through a metal detector. Hariri is separated from his escort and locked in a room, where he is interrogated and subjected to threats and psychological pressure. He reappears on camera that afternoon, again in Riyadh, where he delivers a speech announcing his resignation and launching a series of accusations against Iran. He is then transferred to Riyadh’s famous Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Reactions in Beirut are one of perplexity and skepticism. Once back in Beirut, Hariri withdraws his resignation, proving it wasn’t sincere. That same day, MbS also summons a number of wealthy and high-ranking Saudis, gathering them all at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. Among them is Alwaleed bin Talad, one of the largest investors in international financial markets. In total, there are over two hundred people. The ultimate humiliation awaits them. They are arrested, stripped of their phones and wallets, and locked in the hotel. At the same time, the establishment of a special anti-corruption authority with unlimited powers is announced. Once released, the “guests” will prefer to remain silent about the incident. Some of them will be given electronic tags. In total, they have had to pay $100 billion to be released, billions that will go to replenish the Kingdom’s coffers. The bin Laden family, for example, had to pay for 36% of their assets (including over six hundred high-ranking individuals in Saudi Arabia), their homes, private jets, their wives’ jewelry, and a $36 million racing car collection. Naturally, no investigation is underway into MbS’s own acquisitions, his mega yacht, his chateau in France, and his paintings.
