Report: Judge validates legal papers, LIV Golf chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan could be sued in Canada

Posted by author February 19, 2025 Golf

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A judge in Canada validated service of legal papers in a court case that could see Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and chairman of LIV Golf, sued for the alleged “malicious intent of destroying” the family of the state’s former intelligence chief, according to a report in The Athletic.

Last year, legal papers were sent to Al-Rumayyan, who also is the chairman of Newcastle United, at various PIF addresses in Saudi Arabia, New York and London. The papers allege the 54-year-old “carried out the instructions” of current Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with “the malicious intent” of “harming, silencing and ultimately destroying” Dr. Saad Aljabri.

The Aljabri family is seeking $70.5 million in damages, should the court allow the claim to go ahead.

The Athletic obtained new documents showing Honorable Justice Cavanagh has validated service of a notice of motion that sought to bring about the counterclaim. Now the court must decide whether to grant leave to add new parties and issue a counterclaim. If that happens, the proposed defendants, including Al-Rumayyan, may need to provide a defense or eventually even appear in person, according to The Athletic.

From the report:

The court documents confirm that attempts were made to serve Al-Rumayyan and PIF at locations all over the world; in Saudi Arabia to PIF offices via courier and in the United States to both Aramco Americas and a separate PIF subsidiary. Attempts of service were also made to lawyers acting for Mr Al-Rumayyan in litigation involving LIV Golf, plus by process server and mail to Newcastle United in the United Kingdom. Justice Cavanagh therefore validated the service, saying: “I am satisfied that the Notice of Motion has come to the attention of the Proposed Added Parties.”

The proposed counterclaim draft alleges the defendants were “directly involved” in a three-and-a-half-year campaign between June 2017 and January 2021 to pursue the family of Aljabri, who is a former intelligence aide to Prince Mohammed bin Nayef. It accuses him of “having carried out the instructions” of MBS with “the malicious intent” of “harming, silencing and ultimately destroying” the family of the former intelligence chief Aljabri.

LIV Golf recently opened its season in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia’s capital, with Al-Rumayyan in attendance. The New York Times earlier this month reported that Al-Rumayyan spoke via telephone with President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office that included PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. The Justice Department continues to consider whether to approve a joint venture between the PGA Tour and PIF, with noise coming in recent days that a deal for reunification of men’s professional golf is near.

For more on the case, read the full report here.