Oil-money case: 2013 arrest, 2016 death sentence, and 2024 commutation to 20 years
Babak Zanjani, who by his own account sold Iranian oil through a web of companies to get around sanctions under Ahmadinejad, was arrested in December 2013 over billions in withheld oil revenue. Outlets reported a 2016 death sentence, upheld by the Supreme Court. He denied wrongdoing and called himself a debtor. In April 2024, after assets were returned, the sentence was commuted to 20 years.
Editorial timeline of public reporting, not a legal finding.
- Zanjani arrested and taken to Evin prison, as reported - BBC News and Anadolu Agency reported that judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei (@ejei_org) announced the arrest of Babak Zanjani, chairman of Sorinet Group, and IRNA said he was taken to Tehran's Evin prison. The BBC noted parliament had been investigating since September over accusations that he withheld $1.9bn in oil revenue meant to pass through his companies, which he denied. Iranian billionaire Babak Zanjani 'arrested'
- Death sentence for 'corruption on earth', as reported - BBC News and The Guardian, citing Reuters, reported that a court of first instance sentenced Zanjani and two co-defendants to death for 'spreading corruption on earth' and ordered them to repay embezzled funds, including to the National Iranian Oil Company. Prosecutors said he still owed the government more than $2.7bn in oil revenue. His lawyer told the BBC the verdict was politically motivated and that he was 'just a debtor'. Iran billionaire Babak Zanjani sentenced to death
- Supreme Court upholds the sentence as critics raise concerns, as reported - Reuters reported that the judiciary said Iran's Supreme Court had upheld Zanjani's death sentence. Reuters said critics of the sentence, including President Hassan Rouhani, had argued that executing him might make it impossible to recover the funds and to identify the officials who supported him. Iran's supreme court upholds tycoon's death sentence for graft
- Death sentence commuted to 20 years after assets returned, as reported - AP and BBC News reported that judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said Zanjani's death sentence was commuted to 20 years in prison, with the Supreme Leader's (@khamenei_fa) approval, after about $2.1bn in assets was returned and he helped locate overseas assets. AP said the 2016 ruling allowed commutation if he returned the assets, paid for damages and expressed regret. Iran commutes a tycoon's death sentence to 20 years in prison