The Cairo Criminal Court Wednesday sentenced in absentia the Egyptian fugitive businessman Hussein Salem, his son and daughter to seven years in jail and a fine of four billion U.S. dollar, on charges of money laundering and profiteering, the state media reported, according to Xinhua.
The court found Salem guilty over laundering more than two billion dollars in the Egyptian Israeli gas deal.
Salem was arrested on June 16 in Spain upon an international warrant. He was accused of involvement in exporting natural gas to Israel at lower prices together with former Petroleum Minister Sameh Fahmi, squandering state funds and illegally gaining financial benefits.
He was also accused of giving properties to former President Hosni Mubarak and his sons in exchange for access to thousands of fedans of state lands for his lucrative tourist projects.
Salem fled Egypt on Feb. 3, eight days before Mubarak was forced to step down.
