The U.S. Justice Department has opened a broad investigation into whether leading Wall Street banks helped move money for an investment empire linked to Mojtaba Khamenei, according to a Bloomberg report published Thursday. The probe centers on possible money laundering, corruption, and failures in banking compliance.
Investigators are examining whether major U.S. financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup, acted as correspondent banks for large transfers tied to a network controlled by Khamenei. Officials are also looking at whether gaps in due diligence allowed funds linked to that network to pass through the U.S. banking system.
The reporting says Khamenei has built a global business empire, with activities in shipping in the Persian Gulf, bank accounts in Switzerland, and luxury real estate in Britain. He has not been seen in public since taking office. Earlier reports said he relied on financier Ali Ansari to move capital abroad, a claim Ansari strongly denies.
The current inquiry is not limited to American banks. It also covers financial institutions in Europe and the Middle East, and it is reviewing real estate payments routed through global networks, including Hilton. The investigation remains ongoing.
