political figure

Rami Makhlouf

رامي مخلوف

Also known as: Mr. Syria

Journeys

Rami Makhlouf: The Man Who Owned Syria's Economy

The Makhlouf family's relationship to the Assads was foundational to the regime's economic model. Muhammad Makhlouf, Rami's father, was Hafez's brother-in-law. The Makhloufs used their family position to accumulate enormous economic power under both Hafez and Bashar. Rami became the face of that empire — and ultimately its casualty when Bashar decided to restructure financial power away from the old guard.

Biography

Rami Makhlouf is the son of Muhammad Makhlouf — Hafez al-Assad's brother-in-law — making him Bashar al-Assad's first cousin. He was the dominant oligarch in Syria for two decades, controlling an estimated 60% of Syria's economy through businesses including Syriatel (the largest mobile phone company), real estate, banking, and trade monopolies. Sanctioned by the US, EU, and others for financing the Assad regime's repression. In a bizarre public break with Bashar in 2020, he posted videos on Facebook complaining about being forced to pay his taxes — the first public Assad family dispute in 50 years.

Documentation Status

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Journeys1

Key Facts

Born:1969-11-01

Place:Latakia, Syria

Nationality:Syrian