Shahram Jazayeri
Shahram Jazayeri | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Jazayeri in 2007 | |
| Born | Shahram Jazaery Arab 11 September 1972 |
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Website | shahramjazayeri.com |
Shahram Jazayeri (Persian: شهرام جزایری) is an Iranian businessman and trader who was involved in a high-profile corruption case.[2]
Early life and education
He started the business by selling ice cream in his youth. Jazayeri was a student of dentistry in Kerman.[3]
Career
Jazayeri "accrued unimaginable riches during a short time in the 2000s through corruption and connections with influential officials."[4] He owned some 500 import-export companies and through use of shell corporations, made track of his activities difficult; while he made connections in the Parliament of Iran at the same time, where he was present as an economic expert in some hearings.[3]
Trial and imprisonment
Jazayeri was arrested in 2001 while boarding a commercial flight to the United Arab Emirates, when he was initially prosecuted for influence peddling and providing fake passport for an Afghan citizen.[3] Charges against him included: bribery totaling 38 billion rials ($4.75 million), fraud to obtain loans amounting to 811 billion rials ($101 million), and setting up bogus companies.[5] On 18 November 2002, Jazayeri was sentenced to 27 years of imprisonment.[6] In September 2004, the supreme court partially overturned the conviction[7] and sent back his case to the lower court awaiting trial.[8] The court of appeal in 2008, reduced his sentence to 14 years and ruled that he must pay $145 million to the Iranian government, including $48 million to the state-owned Bank Melli Iran.[2]
In 2007, an Iranian newspaper reported that, unlike ordinary prisoners in Iran, Jazayeri had access to a laptop and two mobile phones and is living in luxury in prison and continued his business works overseas.[9]
Escape from prison
Jazayeri escaped from guards during a transfer on 20 February 2007, and reportedly fled the country afterwards.[1] He was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence on 18 March 2007, in "one of the countries on the Persian Gulf".[10] Iranian media reported that four senior officials in the judicial system were fired for his escape.[2]
Release from prison and later arrests
He was released on 3 October 2014.[11] Jazayeri was detained again in Mashhad on 6 August 2016, charged with "disturbing public peace."[12] On 29 July 2018, he was once again arrested while hidden in a consignment of lentils in an attempt to illegally cross the Bazargan border. A prosecutor said he may face a "relatively long-term imprisonment" in January 2019.[13][14]
References
- ^ a b "Newsline", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 27 February 2007
- ^ a b c Jaseb, Hossein; Kalantari, Hashem (26 May 2008), Evans, Catherine (ed.), "Iran businessman must pay $145 mln in graft case", Reuters, retrieved 3 May 2020
- ^ a b c Adelkhah, Fariba (2015), The Thousand and One Borders of Iran: Travel and Identity, Routledge, p. 91, ISBN 9781317418979
- ^ Khosravi, Shahram (2017), Precarious Lives: Waiting and Hope in Iran, University of Pennsylvania Press, p. 238–239, doi:10.9783/9780812293692, ISBN 9780812248876
- ^ "Corruption Watch", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, vol. 2, no. 4, 31 January 2002
- ^ "Iran Report", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, vol. 5, no. 43, 25 November 2002
- ^ "Newsline", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 27 September 2004
- ^ "Newsline", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 4 October 2004
- ^ Washingtontimes: Financial criminal captivates Tehran
- ^ "Newsline", Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 19 March 2007
- ^ Niayesh, Umid (3 October 2014), "Iranian multi-billionaire released after 11 years in prison", Trend News Agency
- ^ "The Rough Road to Stockholm: Iranian tycoon Shahram Jazayeri is detained once again", Iranian Diplomacy, 11 August 2016
- ^ "Shahram Jazayeri may face long-term imprisonment", Tehran Times, 5 January 2019
- ^ "Iran arrests corrupt businessman before leaving the country", Mehr News Agency, 29 July 2018