News

Iran sentences tycoon to death

Posted March 06, 2016 6:00 am

The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's judiciary spokesman says a court has sentenced a well-known tycoon to death for corruption after a nearly five-month trial.

Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehei told reporters on Sunday that a primary court has sentenced Babak Zanjani and two of his associates to death. The verdict can be appealed.

Zanjani was arrested in 2013 during a crackdown on alleged corruption during the rule of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iran's Oil Ministry says Zanjani owes more than 2 billion euros ($2.25 billion) for oil sales he made on behalf of Ahmadinejad's government.

Zanjani is one of Iran's wealthiest businessmen, with a fortune worth an estimated $14 billion. He was arrested shortly after the election of President Hassan Rouhani.

In 2014, Iran executed billionaire businessman Mahafarid Amir Khosravi over corruption charges.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers Nation and World News

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.