Saudi Arabia is asking some royals and businessmen caught up in corruption crackdown to pay 70% of their wealth in return for their freedom

• Two BBC journalists were recently allowed to visit the Ritz Carlton in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh.
• More than 200 of the kingdom’s richest and most powerful people are being held at the luxury hotel.
• One official said, “Even if we get 100 billion back, that would be good.”

Saudi Arabia could make billions of dollars from its unprecedented corruption crackdown, according to a new BBC report.

Two BBC journalists were recently allowed to visit the Ritz Carlton in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh, where more than 200 of the kingdom’s richest and most powerful people are being held. The BBC also spoke with several Saudi officials, including one who identified himself as a part of the Special Committee behind this month’s anti-corruption arrests.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is widely seen to be the muscle behind the recent anti-corruption purge, as he consolidates power in a way Saudi Arabia hasn’t seen in decades.

Read the whole story from Business Insider.

Featured image courtesy of Saudi Press Agency