Saudi prince freed in $1-bn settlement agreement: Official

According to an official, Prince Miteb was accused of embezzlement, hiring ghost employees and awarding contracts to his own firms

Senior Saudi Arabian prince Miteb bin Abdullah, once seen as a leading contender to the throne, has been freed after agreeing to pay over $1 billion to settle corruption allegations against him, a Saudi official said on Wednesday.

Miteb, 65, son of the late King Abdullah and former head of the elite National Guard, was among dozens of royal family members, high officials and senior businessmen rounded up this month in a crackdown on graft that has strengthened the power of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The official, who is involved in the crackdown and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Miteb