Accessibility links

Breaking News

Iran's Judiciary Says Iranian-American Arrested On Fraud Charges


Iranian authorities have arrested an Iranian-American on charges of defrauding $2.6 million from people seeking U.S. residency, the country's judiciary said on March 5.

"A dual national holding Iranian and American citizenship has been arrested recently, who had swindled many Iranians, taking [money] ... to fix their residency," Judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, was quoted as saying by the judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency.

Mohseni Ejei said the unnamed suspect had pocketed more than 100 billion rials ($2.6 million).

Several Iranian-Americans have been detained in recent months and kept behind bars on espionage charges.

They include businessman Siamak Namazi and his 80-year-old father Baquer Namazi who have been sentenced to 10 years in prison forallegedly "collaborating with the hostile American government.”

Based on reporting by Reuters and Mizan

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG