Khaberni - Lebanese sources spoke about the American envoy to Lebanon, Morgan Ortagus, having a romantic relationship with the Lebanese businessman and the country's most famous banker, Anton Al-Sahhawi. The British newspaper "Daily Mail" confirmed this information, noting that Ortagus separated from her husband Jonathan Weinberger in November last year, according to official documents filed as part of the ongoing divorce procedures between the two.
Informed sources noted that Ortagus, aged 43 and known for her media presence and her staunch stances on foreign policy, started a relationship with Al-Sahhawi after the separation, who is 53 years old and presides over several banks in Lebanon, Cyprus, Jordan, and Monaco.
A source close to Ortagus told the newspaper that the relationship began after the official separation, confirming that it was disclosed through official channels in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Ortagus, who won a beauty contest in her teens and serves as an active reserve officer in the U.S. Navy, held the position of State Department spokesperson during Trump's first term, where she was prominent for her criticism of Iran, China, and opponents of the "America First" policy.
In the second term, she was tasked with assisting envoy Steve Witkoff in mediating a peace agreement between Hamas and Israel, before later moving to her duties at the U.S. mission to the United Nations during the summer.
Ortagus married Weinberger, aged 49, in May 2013, and still describes him as her husband and best friend on her personal page on her website.
However, their separation was confirmed when Weinberger filed for divorce in Nashville, Tennessee, where the couple lived in a house valued at about 2.25 million dollars, together with their young daughter Adina and their dog Ozzie.
The divorce petition filed on November 4 stated that the separation date was the date of the application, citing irreconcilable differences.
A source close to Ortagus explained that this date reflects Weinberger's decision to proceed with the divorce, and is not necessarily the date the marriage relationship ended, which happened some time before.
The first public signs of the relationship with Al-Sahhawi appeared on social media, where a picture of a jewelry purchase receipt bearing their names together was circulated. The receipt is dated December 13 of last year, and includes the purchase of two diamond and platinum necklaces worth thousands of dollars from the main "Tiffany and Co" store in Manhattan.
According to the receipt, Ortagus' name was registered as the account holder, while the payment was made using a MasterCard belonging to Al-Sahhawi. Sources close to Ortagus confirmed that they visited the store together, but warned that the receipt in circulation may be edited or incorrect.
Al-Sahhawi, a descendant of Prince Bashir Al-Shihabi the second, who ruled Lebanon in the first half of the 19th century. He grew up in Beirut before moving to the United States to study business and banking at the University of Southern California.
He is a well-known film producer and publisher, and leads SGBL Bank, one of the largest Lebanese banks, with assets estimated at around 26 billion dollars. He took over the presidency of the bank and its main stake in 2007, and expanded its activity to include Abu Dhabi, Cyprus, France, and the state of Colorado in the U.S.
Conversely, the bank faced legal challenges in the United States, where it was accused in a federal lawsuit in 2019 of aiding and abetting "Hezbollah", accusations the bank later denied. Hundreds of plaintiffs claimed that a number of Lebanese banks provided financial support to armed groups responsible for attacks in Iraq between 2004 and 2011.
However, these accusations contrast with accounts from people close to Al-Sahhawi, who described him as a Lebanese Christian and a clear supporter of Israel. He donated a religious shrine to Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan in 2017, and last year sponsored a joint American-Israeli operatic initiative at the Kennedy Center.
A spokesperson for him said that Al-Sahhawi has not returned to Lebanon for eight to ten years, partly due to concerns about his personal safety. Accurate estimates of his wealth are not available, and he is believed to own homes in London, Paris, and the United States, in addition to several restaurants in Beirut.
