Clients of now defunct Samhouri Exchange still waiting to receive suspended transfers

AMMAN — Clients of the closed down Samhouri Exchange have not received their suspended transfers since 2014, The Jordan Times has learned.

In 2014, the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ) closed down Samhouri Exchange, which operated seven branches in Amman, for administrative and financial irregularities.

Binu John Chirayil, who is one of many people waiting for their transfers, wrote to The Jordan Times this week, saying that he still did not get his money transfer from the CBJ.

He said he lost around JD1,563 in a transfer he made via Samhouri Exchange on December 8, 2014.

The company had failed to address violations committed by its top management during a month’s grace given by the CBJ.

The exchange firm was referred to the Anti-Corruption Commission — now the Jordan Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission — in December 2014 following CBJ’s closure decision.

In previous remarks to The Jordan Times, Alaa Eddine Diraniyeh, the president of the Jordanian Exchange Association (JEA), said all pending inbound and outbound money transfers will be paid by the firm.

But when contacted on Tuesday, he said the case was referred to court, adding that the company underwent “compulsory dissolution”.

“The JEA had tried to settle the issue previously, but has nothing to do with the issue now…. The CBJ is handling the issue,” Diraniyeh said.

A source at the CBJ told The Jordan Times that the bank has formed a specialised committee to look into the issue.

Several members of the committee were not available for comment, despite several attempts by The Jordan Times on Tuesday and Wednesday.