By Ali Moayedian

Shahram Jazayeri is Iran’s equivalent of Jack Abramoff:

Jazayeri was the central defendant in a major corruption case involving 50 defendants, many of them sons of prominent clerics known colloquially as "aqazadeh." In September 2004 his 27-year prison sentence was partially overturned.

Recently Jazayeri was back in court for retrial. A few days ago the verdict was issued and he was sentenced to 14 years in prison. The only problem is Jazayeri has decided to server his sentence at the place of his choosing!

Special Judicial Complex declares Jazayeri Arab's escape

Tehran, Feb 21, IRNA - Special Judicial Complex for economic affairs declared here Wednesday that Shahram Jazayeri Arab, who is accused of economic fraud, has escaped.

According to a statement released by the Public Relations Department of the Judicial Complex, Jazayeri Arab, deceived the police and ran away on the way to the office of court-assigned financial experts, where he was expected to identify his properties.

Meanwhile, the statement added that some measures have been taken to arrest him.

It said that all police and security forces have been informed of Jazayeri Arab's warrant of arrest.

"Besides, the guards accompanying him are subject to criminal prosecution and investigation," it added.

Jazayeri Arab is accused of earning his wealth through illegitimate ways, using fake documents and bribing. His trial came to conclusion recently and the final verdict is expected to be issued soon.

One should have guessed this ‘happy’ outcome from Jazayeri’s mischievous behavior and smiles in the court. He seems to have been fully aware of his real sentence and didn’t need to wait for the judge to read it to him. At the end, he outsmarted everyone. I guess we will never know whom he had in his pockets. And as tick as his file may have appeared in the court, the real file must be even bigger, perhaps too big for the public to digest!

Moral of the story: Had Jack Abramoff consulted with his Iranian counterpart and learned a lesson or two from him, he would also be a free man today. And he wouldn’t have burned so many people along the way J