Abdul Halim Khaddam

Abdul Halim Khaddam, born on September 15, 1932, was a prominent Syrian politician and diplomat who played a significant role in the country's political landscape. He served as the interim president of Syria in 2000 and held the position of vice president for many years. His influence extended beyond national borders as he also acted as the Syrian High Commissioner to Lebanon from 1984 to 2005.

A loyalist of Hafez al-Assad, Khaddam was a key figure in the Ba'athist regime following the Corrective Movement in 1970. His political career was marked by a commitment to the Assad family, but in 2005, he made the bold decision to resign and leave Syria in protest against the policies of Bashar al-Assad, Hafez's son and successor.

During his time in office, Khaddam amassed considerable wealth, with reports indicating that a Credit Suisse account in his name held nearly ninety million Swiss francs as of September 2003. This financial success contributed to his family's net worth, estimated at one point to be around one point one billion dollars, positioning them among the wealthiest and most influential political families in the Middle East.