Senior Saudi Arabian prince Miteb bin Abdullah has been released from detention after agreeing to pay over $1 billion to settle corruption allegations against him.  

Miteb is the son of the late King Abdullah, and used to be head of the powerful National Guard.

But he was among dozens of royal family members and senior officials rounded up this month in a crackdown on graft.

They've since been holed up in a prison that borders on the palatia Ritz Carlton in Riyadh.

Miteb is the first of those detained to be released.

The Saudi official, wishing to remain anonymous, said Miteb was accused of embezzlement and awarding contracts to his own firms.

In total Saudi authorities say some 200 people have been questioned as part of the purge.

They hope to recover around $100 billion in what they say are ill-gotten gains.

But the allegations cannot be independently verified.

Meanwhile they've helped strengthen the hand of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Coincidence or not, the anti-graft drive has removed competition for Saudi's throne.