SAUDI BILLIONAIRES ASSETS

DUBAI / KHOBAR: Saudi authorities are preparing to auction billions of dollars of real estate and cars belonging to billionaire Maan-al Sanea and company as-

They look to hasten an end one of the Kingdom's longest running debt disputes.

The planned sale is the latest signal that Saudi Arabia is serious about holding its elites to account.

In an anti-corruption crackdown last November, authorities detained scores of senior officials on charges of alleged graft. Most have been released after being exonerated or agreeing to give the state money, assets or real estate.

The al-Sanea case is separate from the main anti-graft campaign.

The businessman, in 2007 who was ranked by Forbes as one of the world's 100 richest people - was detained by the authorities late last year for unpaid debts dating back to 2009 when his company, Saad Group, defaulted on debts.

Creditors have spent the past nine years pursuing Saad, which is based in the city of Khobar in Saudi Arabia's Eastern province-

For debt that some estimate to be between 40 billion Saudi Riyals [ $10.67 billion] and SR 60 billion [ $16 billion].

The sales will happen in the coming weeks, the sources said. The liquidation has produced slick video that it has posted on YouTube.