Syrian government insiders’ commercial operations extend from Syria to neighboring Lebanon. One such crony, Samer Foz, holds a stake in Magagroup SARL, a Beirut-based PR and advertising firm that operates a monthly banking and investment magazine.

Foz has risen in prominence due to his close ties to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s inner circle and the fortune he amassed in the war-torn country. Foz’s Magagroup SARL is majority owned by Nahla al-Namli, who serves as the chairperson of the state-owned Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank (SLCB), which is subject to US sanctions.