Vice President: Ahmadinejad's ex-minister illegally took $17 million

Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 10 /Trend S.Isayev, T. Jafarov/ Iranian first vice president Mohammad Reza Rahimi said one of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's former ministers illegally took $17 million from the government, Mehr reported. Rahimi did not disclose the name of the former minister, yet said that he has been a minister for Ahmadinejad during his first four years as Iran's president. Rahimi also added that the minister who took the $17 million ($24 million including profits) is refusing to give it back to the government. Iran's Vice President said he will urge a special committee to be created for studying the case. Meanwhile, Rahimi himself has been accused of insurance fraud back in 2010. In 2009 Rahimi became the first Vice President of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and a year later he was accused of insurance fraud of over $1 million. Based on the claims of at least two members of Iranian Parliament (Majlis), Rahimi was the head of a corruption band that became known as Fatemi Circle. Moreover, two MPs from Iran's parliament, Ahmad Tavakoli and Elias Naderan noted that Rahimi's diploma was fake. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az