Recovering a Embezzler to Iran

Returning a embezzler to Iran

According to Iran Gate’s report, Marjan Al-Agha is one of the most prominent figures who has been hiding from Iran and is known as one of the biggest embezzlers in Iran’s history. Recently, there have been efforts to repatriate Al-Agha and several other individuals to Iran.

Iran Gate has repeatedly examined the case of Marjan Al-Agha, one of the major embezzlers in Iran who has fled the country. Now, the issue of returning this economic offender to Iran has been raised again and has become a topic of discussion. This is a matter that has been possible in some cases, and the Islamic Republic government has succeeded in repatriating some individuals who were accused of embezzlement.

What were the charges against Al-Agha?

Marjan Sheikh Al-Islami Al-Agha was identified as the second defendant in the embezzlement case of Sepanir Company, which belongs to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in 2018. As mentioned in previous sections, Al-Agha’s background was discussed. He was the CEO of Deniz Trading Company and Hetera Commerce, and he was one of the 13 defendants in this case, which was examined by the Special Court Branch for Disruptors and Economic Offenders.

In 2018, he was accused in court of involvement in disrupting the country’s economic system and engaging in illegal money laundering, equivalent to 16 million euros. In addition to these official charges, after the verdict was issued, he was also implicated in conspiring with Reza Hamzelou and Ali Ashraf Riahi to threaten judicial authorities in this case. Although this matter has not yet been examined in any court, it can become a troublesome part of the Al-Agha case for him and his two other accomplices.

A legal lever in the Islamic Republic

As mentioned, Marjan Al-Agha was involved in bypassing oil industry sanctions through companies he established in foreign countries, especially Turkey and China. He was engaged in these activities in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and was involved in a corruption case involving a embezzlement of $74 billion, which is the largest corruption case in Iranian history.

But the most important part of the Al-Agha case that has now become troublesome for him is his involvement in the process of bypassing sanctions. This is an issue of great importance to the United States, and various individuals have been prosecuted and imprisoned for their involvement in Iran’s sanctions evasion process.

Although figures like Mahmoud Reza Khavari, the former CEO of Bank Melli Iran, have fled the country and are living in Canada as one of the criminals involved in economic corruption cases, he has not been extradited to Iran yet. However, the important point and main difference between the Al Agha case and figures like Khavari is that Al Agha has been involved in circumventing sanctions and has actually committed crimes in countries such as Turkey and China, for which the United States government holds the individuals involved legally accountable.

On the other hand, Khavari was involved in a domestic dispute case and was accused of embezzlement in the banking network, with no connection to the issue of sanctions and circumvention. However, efforts have been made and are still ongoing to extradite Khavari to the Islamic Republic of Iran for trial in an Iranian court. Nevertheless, as mentioned before, the Al Agha case has been entirely different from others, as he has not only violated Iranian laws but also international laws, especially those of the United States government.

Financing and collaborating with terrorism

On the other hand, Marjan Al-Agha has been directly involved and collaborated with the Revolutionary Guards Corps in the Sepanir Company case. This collaboration took place under the circumstances where Donald Trump, during his presidency, designated the Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist group.

Considering that Al-Agha’s collaboration with the Revolutionary Guards was aimed at circumventing sanctions, it can be said that he has been involved in financing terrorism. These criminal charges, recognized as one of the most serious crimes by the US judicial system, can also be pursued in courts of other countries, as financing terrorism is considered a crime in most Western countries. Al-Agha has paved the way for illegal and illicit gains as a member of the United States’ terrorist list.

Doha becomes the last refuge for Al-Agha.

Certainly, individuals like Marjan Sheikh Al-Islami Al-Agha, who are involved in major corruption cases, are considered criminals by Western governments. However, it seems that the necessary evidence for the prosecution and extradition of Al-Agha has not yet been provided to the United States or the Canadian government. Therefore, he has been able to continue his luxurious lifestyle in Canada and the United States so far.