Iran: Government Officials Accused In Fraud Case
The Tehran Prosecutor’s office has announced that several government officials and MPs have been accused in Iran’s recent $3-billion bank fraud.
Iranian media report that Mehdi Farahani further announced that members of the Melli Bank and the Bank of Saderat boards of management are also charged in the case and are currently banned from leaving the country.
Also under arrest is the office manager who worked under former Melli Bank CEO Mahmoudreza Khavari, and other members of the bank’s management team are currently released on bail.
Khavari, the former head of the Melli Bank, left the country a few days after news of the $3-billion scandal first hit the media. He took up residence in Canada, where he already held citizenship.
Farahani added that several Members of Parliament and government officials are also charged but they will not be named at this time in order to protect the national interest.
Farahani did indicate, however, that the prime suspects in the case were aided in their illegal actions by the support of Allaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of Foreign Policy and Parliament’s National Security Commission.
Those charged are accused of illegally raising $3 billion through the sale of fake letters of credit.
