This material belongs to: 9 News.
A Saudi prince detained in a five-star hotel during this month’s anti-corruption crackdown has been released after reportedly agreeing to pay $A 1.3 billion.
Prince Miteb, once regarded as a contender for the kingdom’s throne, was freed after striking the deal with officials, reports the BBC.
An unnamed Saudi Official told Bloomberg News he had agreed to pay $1b ($A1.3b) in a “settlement deal” with authorities.
He was among 200 royal family members, ministers and businessmen rounded up on November 4 during an anti-corruption drive.
“Yes, Prince Miteb was released this morning [Tuesday],” a source close to the government told the Agence France-Presse news agency.
Prince Miteb was sacked as minister in charge of the National Guard, the force responsible for protecting the royal household hours before his detention.
He was held at the five-star Ritz Carlton hotel in Riyadh along with four other senior royal family members. The hotel was described as a “gilded prison”.
It boasts a bowling alley, gym, ballrooms, restaurants and massive indoor pools.
The 65-year-old son of the late King Abdullah was detained under the orders of a newly formed anti-corruption committee headed by his 32-year-old cousin, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, regarded as the future monarch of the desert kingdom.
Saudi officials have stressed the anti-corruption drive was aimed at recovering $130b in ill-gotten assets and not a power play by Crown Prince Mohammed.
In an interview with the New York Times published last week, Crown Prince Mohammed said 95 percent of those detained agree to a “settlement”, or handing back illegally gained assets or cash to the Saudi government.
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2017
