At least two senior executives at Diriyah, the $63 billion real estate development in Riyadh, have been detained by Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha), according to Semafor, citing three people familiar with the matter.
The detentions took place in recent weeks as part of an ongoing investigation by Nazaha, sources told Semafor. One of the executives has reportedly been released, while it remains unclear whether formal charges have been filed. The probe is still underway.
Nazaha, Diriyah and the two detained executives did not respond to requests for comment.
The detentions coincide with a wider anti-corruption drive in the kingdom. In an official update on October 1, Nazaha said it had conducted 2,662 oversight rounds, launched 387 investigations and arrested 134 individuals in September across multiple ministries – including Interior, National Guard, Defence, Education, Health and Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing.
The authority said the cases involved bribery and abuse of public office, among other administrative and criminal offenses. Several of those detained were later released on bail pending trial.
Earlier this year, Amr Al-Madani former CEO of the Royal Commission for AlUla was arrested and accused of abuse of authority and money laundering, one of the few cases where Nazaha disclosed detailed charges.
Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption campaign began in 2017, when dozens of princes, ministers and business leaders were detained at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh. Authorities said the effort recovered over $100 billion in assets.
The continued crackdown comes as the kingdom seeks greater accountability amid tighter budgets and fluctuating oil prices. Around $150 billion in contracts have been awarded this year to advance its Vision 2030 economic transformation.
Backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Diriyah is one of five flagship gigaprojects central to Saudi Arabia’s diversification plan.
The development aims to transform a UNESCO World Heritage site into a cultural and tourism hub featuring a $1.4 billion opera house, Armani and Ritz-Carlton branded residences, a Greg Norman-designed golf course and a cluster of tech and media firms.
Diriyah targets 50 million visitors and 100,000 residents by 2030, contributing nearly $5 billion annually to the economy and creating about 178,000 jobs upon completion.
