Tehran (AFP) - Iran's billionaire tycoon Babak Zanjani
has been sentenced to death for corruption, a
judicial official said Sunday, after a long trial in which
he was accused of fraudulently pocketing $2.8 billion.
Zanjani became notorious during the era of
president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, finding ways to
channel hard currency from oil sales to Tehran
despite financial sanctions imposed on the Islamic
republic's banks as punishment for its nuclear
programme.
The 41-year-old was convicted of fraud and economic
crimes and as well as facing the death penalty he
must repay money to the state, judiciary spokesman
Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejeie said at his weekly
press conference.
The trial was held in public, a rarity for such a major
case in Iran, and two other accused were also
convicted of "corruption on earth", the most serious
offence under the country's criminal code, meaning
they too will face the death penalty.
"The preliminary court has sentenced these three
defendants to be executed, as well as paying
restitution to the plaintiff," Mohseni-Ejeie said,
adding that that was the oil ministry.
They must also pay a "fine equal to one fourth of the
money that was laundered", the spokesman said,
without specifying the sum.
Zanjani, who can appeal, had denied any
wrongdoing, insisting that the only reason the money
had not been paid to the oil ministry was that
sanctions had prevented a planned transfer from
taking place.
However, the case follows repeated declarations
from the current government of President Hassan
Rouhani that corruption and the payment of illegal
commissions thrived under Ahmadinejad's rule.
Other trials are ongoing.
Zanjani had repeatedly said in media interviews that
in return for commissions paid by Ahmadinejad's
government he was tasked with circumventing
sanctions to get money back to Iran.
In October last year, however, Rouhani's oil minister
Bijan Zanganeh signalled the shifting political balance
in Iran, hitting out at the use of middlemen such as
Zanjani, who before being arrested had boasted of
his personal wealth.
Iranian media have put it as high as $13.5 billion.
Speaking after Iran concluded a nuclear deal with
world powers, paving the way for increased foreign
activity in Iran's oil sector, Zanganeh urged investors
to deal directly with his ministry and avoid third
parties.
"We despise the corrupt parasites that want to suck
the nation’s blood even in this situation," Zanganeh
said, to loud applause at an oil and energy industry
event in the capital while Zanjani's trial was under
way.
"I recommend foreign companies stay away from
these corrupt individuals,” who know nothing but
"deceitfulness".
"They will tell you that until you give us our
commission you can’t get your work done. Don’t
believe them," Zanganeh said.
Zanjani was among Iranian individuals blacklisted
under US and European sanctions.


https://m.yahoo.com/w/legobpengine/frontpage/news/iran-billionaire-tycoon-zanjani-sentenced-death-corruption-113702790.html?.b=%2Findex&.intl=us&.lang=en

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