Iran’s judiciary executed the owner of a company convicted of operating a long‑running car‑buying and investment fraud that prosecutors say took about US$350 million from more than 28,000 complainants. The case underscores Iran’s use of severe criminal penalties in major economic‑fraud prosecutions.

Iranian judicial authorities executed the owner and ringleader of a company found guilty of orchestrating a large‑scale car‑buying and investment fraud that prosecutors say affected tens of thousands and produced losses estimated at roughly US$350 million. The complex, long‑running scheme reportedly promised car purchases or investment returns to participants and accumulated funds from more than 28,000 complainants before collapsing under scrutiny. Iranian officials pursued criminal prosecution against top organizers, culminating in a capital sentence for the individual identified as the operation’s mastermind. State and judicial statements framed the punishment as part of a stern approach to economic crimes, signaling zero tolerance for large‑scale financial fraud. International reporting noted the scale of victimization and raised concerns about victims’ prospects for restitution amid harsh domestic penalties. The case drew attention for both the magnitude of the alleged fraud and Iran’s application of the death penalty in economic crime cases.