Ramazzotti

Lebanese Tycoon who Promised Lebanon Hefty Donations Apparently Phony

Elie Youssef Najem, a self-styled Lebanese business billionaire who has promised a hefty donation to help Lebanon recover from the recent Israeli war, was apparently nothing but a phony, according to the Malaysian media.
The announcement of his $15 billion donation plan, including alleged investments in various Lebanese sectors, was read Wednesday on his behalf by a four-person delegation, including his Malaysian father-in-law.

According to numerous reports in the Malaysian media posted on various Malaysian Web sites, including the Mata Press Service, Najem was convicted of check forgery in Lebanon, and is being investigated by Interpol for other shady financial dealings.

Mata Press Service has also quoted The New Straits Times as reporting that Interpol had confirmed Najem, 45, was convicted of check forgery in Lebanon last year and was sentenced to a year's jail.

The New Straits Times has said he left the country while the appeal was pending and entered Malaysia June 2005, adding that soon after his arrival, Najem married 19-year-old Malaysian Farinnie Farid.

Mata Press Service said in an article titled: "Nutty 'billionaire' leaves trail of debt" dated Feb. 9, 2006 that Najem's legal troubles began in 1993 in Winnipeg, Canada, where he was arrested for sexually harassing an employee at the "Bright and Early" phone-sex chat line he operated.

Though he claims citizenship, the Canadian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur has denied this, said the Service on its website.

It said that when Najem claimed to be a lord and a prince, the Lebanese government said they didn't know of any such royalty and that he had been convicted of check forgery in Lebanon.

It also said that Cyprus authorities stated that Dr. Najem, who claims to be from a family of doctors, could assist them in several cases of fraud, theft and cheating.

The Service said that Malaysia immigration officers have found irregularities involving his travel documents.

It said that Najem walks with the aid of crutches, surrounds himself with bodyguards and boasts without batting an eyelid that he has controlling interests in banking, construction, petroleum, telecommunications, software and palm oil industries in Sweden, New Zealand, Canada, Dubai, Qatar and Malaysia worth over $40 billion.

"There's one problem though," Mata Press Service said. "Mr. Big cannot back up his big claims, big donations, and big money."

"Welcome to the topsy-turvy world of Dr. Elie Youssef Najem," it added.

The Service said that Najem had at the time slammed what he called accusations made against him.

"All the allegations against me are trumped up and untrue," the Service quoted Najem as telling the Malaysian media after he was released on bail recently.

At least five businessmen have filed suits against Najem with the Malaysian police over the past year, according Mata Press Service, after he made a pledge to build a $266 million children's cancer center in 2005.

It said that in response to allegations, he was arrested and his passport was confiscated, but said he later got out on bail. According to the Service, Najem has posted a request for donations on his Web site , to help him fight the newspapers and police, whom he accuses of trying "to kill, destroy and starve me."

Najem, who is in Malaysia, has told reporters by speaker phone during Wednesday's press conference at the Press Syndicate in Beirut that he will soon visit Lebanon.

"When I come to Lebanon I will have with me two warplanes with a cedar tree hoisted on each one," Najem announced. He said that his Lebanon trip was awaiting a green light from Defence Minister Elias Murr, President Emile Lahoud and Premier Fouad Saniora.