Mohammed bin Laden's sons ran his construction group for decades, and three of them signed their shares over to the state while detained

The Binladin construction company was founded in 1931 and grew on the expansion of the mosques in Mecca and Medina. After the founder, Mohammed bin Laden, died in 1967, Mohammed Bahareth ran it. His eldest son Salem took over in 1972 and died in a plane crash in 1988. Leadership passed to Salem's brother Bakr, with thirteen other brothers on the board. Bakr, a half-brother of Osama bin Laden, became the largest shareholder with 23.58 percent. On 11 September 2015 one of the group's cranes fell on the Grand Mosque in Mecca, killing 118 people. The king banned the firm from new projects until May 2016, and it laid off tens of thousands of workers. On 4 November 2017 Bakr was arrested in the crown prince's anti-corruption sweep and held at the Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh. His brothers Saad and Saleh were held and released within weeks. On 13 January 2018 the company said it "remains a private sector company owned by its shareholders", while some shares may have gone to the state to settle "outstanding dues". In April 2018 the three brothers transferred their combined 36.2 percent to the state, and a government committee took over management. No charges against Bakr were made public. He was freed in May 2021, with his movements restricted. On 28 December 2025 shareholders approved new shares for the Ministry of Finance to settle debts, raising its stake to 86.38 percent.