Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, who conducts a large-scale anti-corruption campaign in the kingdom, was the actual buyer of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece “The Savior of the World.” This is written by the Wall Street Journal with reference to sources familiar with the reports of the U.S. intelligence.

In November, Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev sold the painting of an Italian master at Christie's auction for $ 450 million.

The American authorities closely monitor the activities of the Crown Prince, who positions himself as a reformer.

RBC reports, that the former CIA official Bruce Riedel told to the newspaper, that the reputation of the Crown Prince, who spends so much money to buy a picture when he must lead an anti-corruption campaign is rather questionable.

The nominal buyer of the painting was Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan Al Saud, a distant relative of the heir to the Saudi throne.

A source familiar with the art trade in the Middle East told the newspaper, that the nominal buyer “is the Crown Prince's confidant”. The newspaper's interlocutor in US intelligence noted that Bader was a buyer on paper, but the final beneficiary is Prince Mohammed.

The painting of da Vinci will go to the Louvre in Abu Dhabi, this is the most expensive work of art in the auction history. Rybolovlev (estimated wealth - $ 7.3 billion) bought it from a Swiss dealer Yves Bouvier for $127.5 million.