Iran's former central bank chief arrested on suspicion of money laundering

Iran's former central bank chief is thought to have been arrested at a German airport with a cheque for $70 million on suspicion of money laundering. Could he be trying to help out his former bosses in the Islamic Republic?

A man arrested by custom officers trying to enter Germany with a cheque worth 44.5 million pounds ($70 million) is believed to be Iran's former central bank chief. [2]

According to a German newspaper, customs officers at Duesseldorf Airport allegedly found the cheque in Tahmasb Mazaheri's luggage on January 21 upon his arrival from Turkey.

German customs issued a statement on Friday saying a cheque for 300 million bolivars issued by the Bank of Venezuela was found on an unnamed 59-year-old man, the Daily Mail reports.

Neither customs nor Iran's embassy could be reached for comment last night.

Mazaheri [3] was the governor of the Central Bank of Iran until 2008, the report said.

Newspaper Bild am Sonntag said German police and customs were investigating possible money laundering [4], it added.

Iran's former Central Bank boss is thought to have been arrested on suspicion of money laundering