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Lebanese expats return to Miami after being held in Beirut

Dispute over inheritance turns into life-threatening detention overseas

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. ā€“ After being held behind bars in Beirut for more than a week, a pair ofĀ Lebanese expatriatesĀ fromĀ South Florida were relieved Friday when they arrived at Miami International Airport.Ā 

Attorney Lorne Berkeley was waiting for them with open arms. The ordeal for Lara Samaha began when her father died in Lebanon. She said he left a will leaving her a multimillion-dollar inheritance.

Samaha said she hasĀ relatives in Lebanon who are preventing her from claiming the inheritance, so she decided to file lawsuits in Lebanon and in the Southern District of Florida.

"They were told that they should come back to the countryĀ and that they wanted to resolve the lawsuit," Berkeley said.Ā 

Samaha and her husband, Ellie Samaha, decided to travel to Lebanon, but what theyĀ didn't know was that herĀ relatives had persuaded authorities in Lebanon toĀ chargeĀ them with defamation and there was a warrant out for their arrest.Ā 

Berkeley, who has an office in Coral Gables, said that as soon as Ellie and Lara SamahaĀ arrived in Lebanon, they were "held hostage" for over a week. They said officials thereĀ threatened them to force them to drop their lawsuits.Ā 

"They tried to kill us," Lara Samaha said.Ā "They put a knife on us."Ā 

Their son, Sandro Samaha, said that he couldn't contact themĀ and he feared that their relatives were using corrupt officials in Lebanon to hurt his parents. He saidĀ he felt hopeless. Ellie Samaha, who is a U.S. citizen, said he felt powerless during his detention.Ā 

"We were underground,"Ā Ellie Samaha said.Ā "We couldnā€™t see any light."

Lebanese authoritiesĀ freed themĀ this week and allowed themĀ to return to the United States. Ellie Samaha said he was veryĀ grateful for the work the U.S. embassy and the U.S. State Department had done to free them. Lara Samaha said she was also grateful for Berkeley.Ā 

"They forced me to sign everything, to dismiss everything," Lara Samaha said.Ā 

Berkeley said his work with the Samaha family is not done. They doĀ not want to give up their fight for what is rightfully Samaha's, and he said he is going to figure out a way to help them.Ā 

Although it's not the case in Beirut, there are areas in Lebanon whereĀ women still don't have property rights. This is still preventingĀ women toĀ inheritĀ property in some communities. The State Department issued a travel advisory April 9 warning ofĀ a kidnapping riskĀ in Lebanon.Ā 

"Family, neighborhood, or sectarian disputes can escalate quickly and can lead to gunfire or other violence with no warning," the travel advisory says.Ā 

Ellie and Lara SamahaĀ said they are feeling grateful to be back home.Ā 


About the Authors
Christian De La Rosa headshot

Christian De La Rosa joined Local 10 News in April 2017 after spending time as a reporter and anchor in Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando and Panama City Beach.

Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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