Iran To Jail, Lash Ex-Central Bank Staff For Bribes

[Ichingcarpenter]

EHRAN (Reuters) -- An Iranian court has sentenced to jail and lashes 16 former Central Bank staff for taking bribes including 35 billion rials ($3.5 million) in cash as well as gold and foreign currencies, state radio reported.

It was the latest sign of the Islamic republic, whose leaders have vowed to root out graft, getting increasingly tough on corruption in the world's fourth-largest oil producer.

The radio report said those accused received sentences of 10 years in prison, lashes, and fines in the Tehran court's "initial verdict," without making clear whether all 16 were handed the same punishment.

The report did not say when any lashings would take place.

They were also banned from holding government office again, it said, without detailing the crimes and saying what positions they had held in the Central Bank.

They were accused of receiving 35 billion rials in cash and large quantities of gold coins and foreign currencies in exchange for providing finance in the form of letters of credit, a key tool for trade, the radio said.>>>>>>>>snip

http://www.rferl.org/content/Article/1357083.html


I want to see this story on Bloomberg TV, CNBC and FAUX Business channel tomorrow

LOL!!!!

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Migod, those people are not civilized.

You're only sposed to do things like that to street criminals, not white-collar types.

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. I thought you paid them to go to spas and retreats?

As a favor for stealing money from the taxpayers.

We used to do stockades in the town squares long ago.
I think we could get a corporate sponsor for that.

[Kutjara]

2. Fortunately, in our more enlightened system,...

...bankers don't need to take bribes. They just get money handed to them by the government whenever they want it, no questions asked. All perfectly legal.