A billionaire Iranian businessman involved in a $2.6 billion state bank scam has been executed.

Iranian state television reported on May 24 that Mahafarid Amir Khosravi, also known as Amir Mansur Aria, was executed at Evin prison, north of Tehran earlier in the day.

Khosravi’s lawyer, Gholam Ali Riahi, said he had not received any prior notification that the death sentence would be carried out.

State television said Khosravi was executed after the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence.

Khosravi was convicted of using forged documents to obtain credit at one of Iran’s leading financial institutions, Bank Saderat.

Khosravi used the credit to purchase assets including state-owned companies such as Khuzestan Steel Co.

Thirty-nine people were convicted in the case, four were sentenced to death, two received life sentences, and the others got prison sentences of up to 25 years.

Based on reporting by AP and Interfax
RFE/RL