‘$2.6b fraud case occurred due to poor performance of central bank, other state bodies’

TEHRAN,March 12(MNA) – The most massive fraud case in the history of Iran took place due to the failure of the customs administration, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance, the central bank and a number of other banks to properly fulfill their duties, National Prosecutor General Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejeii said on Monday. Mohseni-Ejeii was referring to a $2.6 billion financial fraud case, which was uncovered in 2011 and triggered a wave of resignations and dismissals of the banking officials. The Arya Investment Company is at the center of the controversy. In February 2012, Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentences of four individuals convicted of involvement in the case. Commenting on Iran’s next presidential election, which is scheduled to be held on June 14, Mohseni-Ejeii, who is also the Judiciary’s spokesman, said, “Evidence shows that the enemy is devising plans ahead of the next year’s election.” The new seditious movement which is taking shape is different from the one which created a political unrest after the presidential election of June 2009, the prosecutor said.