Report: LIV chairman could face $74M lawsuit in Canadian court

Field Level Media|published: Tue 16th January, 21:13 2024

Oct 29, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA; Yasir Al-Rumayyan (L) walks next to Saudi golf CEO Majed Al Surour (R) during the second round of the season finale of the LIV Golf series at Trump National Doral. credits: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and the chairman of LIV Golf, is facing a $74 million lawsuit in Canada claiming he "carried out the instructions" of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to harm a former intelligence chief.

The Athletic reported that legal papers were shipped to PIF addresses in Saudi Arabia, New York and London. They ask a Canadian court for permission to add Al-Rumayyan to an existing court case as well as levy a new claim against him and others.

Al-Rumayyan is accused of being "directly involved" in a lengthy campaign against the family of Saad Aljabri, whose children are jailed in Saudi Arabia.

Aljabri was a top aide to Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, who was deposed by bin Salman as an heir to the throne back in 2017. This led Aljabri to flee Saudi Arabia and settle in Canada.

The lawsuit claims Al-Rumayyan aided bin Salman's "malicious intent" of "harming, silencing and ultimately destroying" Aljabri's family.

The case arrives as the PGA Tour is said to be in advanced negotiations with the PIF, which has bankrolled LIV Golf as a rival league for more than two years. A surprise "framework agreement" merging the interests of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF was announced last June.

Legal papers were also delivered to St. James' Park, the home stadium of English Premier League club Newcastle United, of which the PIF owns an 80 percent stake.

—Field Level Media