Nayef bin Fawwaz Al Shaalan Al Ruwaily (born 1956) (Arabic: نايف بن فواز الشعلان) is a Saudi Arabian diplomat and businessman. As a grandson of Prince Nuri Al-Shaalan, Nayef is a prince and a member of the House of Al-Shaalan.
| Nayef bin Fawwaz Al Sha'lan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956 (age 67–68) |
| House | Al Shaalan |
| Father | Fawwaz Al Shaalan |
Business career
editNayef invested in the oil business in Colombia and Venezuela.[1]
In 1999, he smuggled two tons of cocaine from Venezuela to France.[2] He was accused by the French government of using his diplomatic status to transport the drugs onto his private Boeing 727 jet.[3][4] He escaped sentencing, and was convicted in absentia in 2007.[2] The United States government also indicted him with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.[1][2]
Personal life
editNayef speaks eight languages. He lived in the United States from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s.[1] He is a grandson of Prince Nuri al-Shaalan and a maternal grandson of the founding monarch of Saudi, King Abdulaziz. Nayef's older brother, Nawaf, is married to a daughter of King Abdullah. Nayef has a twin brother, Saud.[5]
Nayef is a nephew and son-in-law of Abdul Rahman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's former deputy minister of defense and aviation.[1] Nayef's brother, Saud, is also the son-in-law of Prince Abdul Rahman.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Ireland, Doug (6 May 2004). "Royal Coke". LA Weekly News. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2012.
- ^ a b c O'Grady, Siobhán (26 October 2015). "Saudi Arabia's Royal Drug Problem". Foreign Policy.
- ^ "Saudi Prince Accused of Drug Smuggling Avoids Prosecution". ABC News. 1 April 2005.
- ^ "Drug charge for Saudi prince". The Guardian. 19 July 2002.
- ^ "'Cover-up to save royal who smuggled cocaine'". The Scotsman. 28 March 2007.