The Islamic Republic's judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir confirmed on Wednesday that Babak Zanjani, Iran’s notorious embezzler, who was sentenced to death in 2013 for pocketing 2.8 billion euros ($3.1 billion) of oil money, has been granted prison leave.
“Having served eleven years of his twenty-year sentence, Zanjani became eligible for leave this year under judicial supervision,” Jahangir said at an April 30 press conference.
Arrested in December 2013, he was accused of embezzling billions from Iran’s oil revenues at the height of international sanctions and was sentenced to death.
The charges included “corruption on earth through disruption of the economic system,” along with accusations of leading an organized criminal network, document forgery, money laundering, and widespread fraud targeting Iran’s banking system and Ministry of Oil.
His crimes were severe, leaving little room for mercy.
Yet in Iran’s uneven justice system, Zanjani’s case took a surprising turn: the Supreme Leader intervened, commuting his death sentence to 20 years in prison.
He has now secured an $800 million contract with the Islamic Republic Railway.
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