Sexual abuse by bank chair

A FORMER chairman of a major Egyptian bank is being held on US$25,000 (€17,000) bail after being charged with sexually abusing a housekeeper at a New York City hotel.

Mahmoud Abdel Salam Omar, right, was arraigned shortly before 12am yesterday in Manhattan. His lawyer told the court “adamantly denies the charges against him”.

Authorities said a maid was called to Omar’s room at The Pierre on Sunday night to drop off tissues. Police said the 74-year-old would not let her leave and touched her inappropriately.

Omar chairs the board of the El-Mex Salines, a state-run salt production firm. He is a former chairman of Egypt’s Bank of Alexandria, the Egyptian American Bank and the Federation of Egyptian Banks.