Two sons of Iran's first deputy head of the Judiciary are involved in a $400 million money laundering and corruption case.
The sons of Mohammad Mosaddegh are facing a range of allegations, including the formation of a corruption network, money laundering, forgery of documents, and interference in judicial cases.
The news of the detention of his two sons, who have been confirmed as participants in this network, has recently come to light. Their apprehension follows the arrest of an individual approximately eight months ago, charged with smuggling, money laundering, and other infractions.
According to the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, under the directive of the Chief Justice, an investigation was initiated, leading to the detention of eight individuals connected to the case so far.
In July 2021, shortly after Mohammad Mosaddegh assumed the role of first deputy head in the Judiciary, his two sons were implicated in the network. Mosaddegh, a clergyman born in Tabriz, has held various high-ranking judicial positions during his career.
During his tenure, Mosaddegh was ironically advocating judicial reforms. He made efforts to bolster his image for an anticipated presidential candidacy by launching media campaigns to showcase the changes and advancements within the judiciary.
In a previous case, another senior judiciary official, Akbar Tabari, was arrested in 2019 for leading a bribery network and personally accepting multiple bribes. He was sentenced to 31 years in prison.
Transparency International ranked Iran as the 150th out of 180 countries in its 2021 Corruption Perception Index, categorizing it as one of the world's most corrupt nations.