Well-informed sources revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman (MBS) started seizing Khums from Saudi Shiites.
Khums (meaning fifth in Arabic) is a religious tax paid by Saudi Shiites to Iran or Iraq.
The sources pointed out that MBS threatened Saudi Shiite leaders with fabricating corruption cases against them if they refused to pay the religious tax for him.
MBS has strengthened his grip on power after arresting prominent princes and ministers, and seizing their funds over alleged corruption charges.
With the controversial elevation of Muhammad bin Salman (MBS) to the position of crown prince, the past few years have been rocky for the family. MBS arrested several of his family members and seized their furniture, in what appears to be a power struggle playing out along the margins of cruelty and cajolery.
MBS recently pressed his cousin Prince Alwaleed bin Talal to sell Flynas, a Riyadh-headquartered carrier, at a low-cost in favor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal received death threats if he rejected the offer.
Flynas had been planning a potential listing, but the flotation could be delayed if the stake sale to PIF goes ahead.
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has been known for decades as among one of the richest Middle East investors.
MBS shocked the world in 2017 when he had the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton turned into a holding cell and detained many senior figures, some of whom were royal family members including Alwaleed bin Talal. While the outlet states that King Salman issued the arrests, it was MBS who had the order carried out.
Saudi officials then forced those detained to transfer the bulk of their money and assets to the Saudi government as a condition to their release from arbitrary arrest at the Ritz Carlton.
MBS asked Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal to pay at least $6 Billion for his release, which would jeopardize his global business empire.
Earlier, MBS summoned a number of Saudi princes and businessmen, including businessman Nayef bin Odeh Al-Saadi, to give detailed report about their immovable and movable property made out of the funds at home and abroad.
Only one week later, they were summoned once again, where they were forced to donate a large part of their fortune in favor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, headed by the Crown Prince himself.
The sources further said MBS confiscated half of the fortune of the former Prince of Al-Sharqiya, Prince Muhammad bin Fahd.
Along the same line, Saudi authorities imposed a travel ban on the Saudi billionaire businessman, Muhammad Hussein Al-Amoudi, who was detained as part of the Ritz-Carlton campaign.
Intelligence reports also revealed that MBS has been blackmailing a large number of princes to allow their travel abroad.
