DUBAI, UAE, Jan 29: In a significant development, Amr bin Saleh Abdulrahman al-Madani, the CEO overseeing Saudi Arabia's royal commission for the historic al-Ula site, has been apprehended on charges of corruption and money laundering. The charges, totaling around $55 million in contracts, allege that Al-Madani "illegally obtained" contracts to favor a private company with which he had personal interests before joining the government. The Kingdom's Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority revealed these details in a statement released late Sunday.

The contracts in question are related to the Kingdom Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, according to the statement. It further highlighted that Al-Madani, in his capacity on the commission for al-Ula, recommended the same private company for additional contracts, contributing to Saudi Arabia's tourism-focused initiatives, with al-Ula being a key destination.

Details about Al-Madani's legal representation were not immediately available. The charges and arrest were officially conveyed through a statement by the state-run Saudi Press Agency. This incident follows Saudi Arabia's previous anti-corruption campaign in 2017, initiated by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, resulting in high-profile arrests and significant financial recoveries for the government.