Iran Sentences Four People To Death For $2.6 Billion Bank Scam
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An Iranian court has sentenced four people to death for embezzling over $2.6 billion from half a dozen Iranian banks, reported Reuters on Monday, with the accused believed to have had close links with the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
An Iranian court has sentenced four people to death for embezzling over $2.6 billion from half a dozen Iranian banks, reported Reuters on Monday, with the accused believed to have had close links with the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
According to the New York Times, “Iranian analysts have said many of the people implicated in the fraud were tied to appointees of Mr. Ahmadinejad’s administration,” though the president himself was not believed to have been involved.
On the other hand however, Ahmadinejad’s former chief-of-staff, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, was one of the original suspects tied to the case; with the fallout from the case leaving Ahmadinejad’s own position under threat, following a public fallout with the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, last year.
The chief prosecutor in the case, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie, refused to reveal the identities of those convicted though he confirmed that two other people had been sentenced to life imprisonment, while 33 others had received jail terms of up to 25 years.
Iranian state media also chose to identify the accused only by their initials, while television broadcasts of the trial had blurred out their faces.
The banking fraud was first uncovered in September last year, when Bank Melli, Iran’s largest commercial bank, discovered forged documents that were used to obtain credit and loans. At least six other Iranian state and private banks subsequently uncovered the scam as well, with the money used over four years to buy state-owned companies.
Businessman Mahsarid Amir-Mansour Khosravi, who owned at least 35 companies, is believed to have been the mastermind of the scheme, while authorities said that Khosravi fully confessed after being held in custody.
Mahmoud Reza Khavari, the former head of Bank Melli, also resigned over the affair and has fled to Canada where records show he owns a $3 million home, claimed Reuters.
Speaking to the IRNA state news agency, chief prosecutor Mohseni-Ejeje claimed that case was a demonstration that Iran can deal appropriately with high-level fraud.
[quote]”The government, parliament, and all available devices were used to pursue the issue so that corruption can be fought in an open manner,” he was quoted as saying.[/quote]Related: ‘Chicken Crisis’ Stirs Public Dissent In Iran
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, however warned local media not to “drag out the issue,” acknowledging that political damage had been caused a result.
[quote]”Some want to use this event to score points against the country’s officials,” Khamenei said. “The people should know the issue will be followed up on.”[/quote]
