Media reports: Prince Charles took Bin Laden family’s money
August 1, 2022, 11:44 am

Media reports: Prince Charles took Bin Laden family’s money

UK-Royal Family-Prince Charles/The Royal Family official Facebook page

The Times reported on Sunday (July 31) that Britain’s Prince Charles “personally secured” a donation of £1 million ($1.2 million) to his charity from the family of Osama bin Laden in 2013. The Prince of Wales has only recently been scrutinized for taking “bags of cash” from the Qatari royal family.

Charles “brokered the payment” after a private meeting with Bakr and Shafiq bin Laden at his London residence of Clarence House in October 2013, the paper’s sources claimed, the Russian news agency RT reported.

Bakr and Shafiq are half-brothers of Osama Bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda leader and 9/11 mastermind who was shot dead by US special forces in Pakistan two years before the meeting, the RT mentioned.

According to the Times, Charles agreed to the donation despite objections from his staff and the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation (PWCF). Charles reportedly opted not to return the money, as to do so would embarrass the brothers.

However, PWCF Chairman Sir Ian Cheshire told the newspaper that all five of the charity’s trustees “wholly” agreed to accept the donation after listening to concerns.

Prince Charles with his wife Camilla-Facebook page

Another source told The Guardian that the prince was not urged to return the money, and disputed suggestions that he had personally brokered the deal.

There is no suggestion that Bakr or Shafiq bin Laden have ever financed or been involved in terrorism, The Times pointed out.

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The UK Charity Commission dropped an investigation last week into multi-million-pound donations made by the Qatari royal family to the PWCF.

British media reported last month that Charles had received shopping bags full of cash totaling over £2.5 million ($3.07 million) during meetings with Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber al Thani between 2011 and 2015. Al Thani served as Qatar’s prime minister between 2007 and 2013.

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The Prince of Wales is no stranger to controversy, and his relationship with the Bin Laden family has been questioned before.

After being introduced to Bakr at the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies in 2000, Charles drew condemnation from the British press when he dined with Osama’s brother the following October, less than a month after the 9/11 attacks.

Source: rt

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.