Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who has reigned since 2015, has faced various controversies and allegations throughout his long career in public life. During the 1980s and 1990s, while serving as governor of Riyadh and head of the Saudi committee for support to the Afghan mujahideen, Salman was criticized for his role in fundraising for Islamic fighters in Afghanistan and Bosnia. Reports indicated that millions of dollars from these efforts and the Saudi High Commission reached organizations later linked to extremist activities, and U.S. intelligence officials scrutinized the commission for its connections to militant groups. In 2016, the Panama Papers revealed King Salman held roles in offshore companies, including Safason Corporation, which were associated with mortgages for luxury London properties. Additionally, he has faced international scrutiny regarding the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen and the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, both of which occurred under his reign and have been closely associated with his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. While his administration launched a major anti-corruption campaign in 2017—which resulted in the detention of numerous princes and businessmen and the reported recovery of $107 billion in settlements—critics have characterized the effort as a means for his son to consolidate political power. King Salman has not been personally charged with or convicted of crimes in any of these matters.