Tens of millions of pounds used to finance the purchase of luxury homes in London by Mojtaba Khamenei were reportedly provided as a loan by a company owned by British-Israeli businessmen, according to an investigation by the Israeli watchdog outlet Shomrim in collaboration with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).
According to Ynetnews, the investigation revealed that a £36 million loan granted in 2013 was provided to a company registered in the Isle of Man, a well-known tax haven. At the time, none of the Iranians involved in the transaction were under sanctions, meaning there were no legal restrictions preventing the loan.
However, critics say the involvement of a company with Israeli ownership highlights what they describe as contradictions in the Iranian regime’s rhetoric toward Israel.
The report forms part of broader revelations about a global network of assets linked to Mojtaba Khamenei. About two months ago, before the recent war and the reported assassination of his father, Bloomberg published an extensive investigation into Khamenei’s business empire.
That investigation, based on confidential documents, property records and testimony from Western intelligence sources, alleged that Khamenei was able in certain years to circumvent sanctions imposed on Iran as well as personal sanctions placed on him in 2019.
According to the report, billions of dollars from Iranian oil sales were allegedly transferred into Western countries through a network of shell companies and numerous bank accounts in Britain, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the United Arab Emirates.
The funds were reportedly laundered through associates connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including individuals linked to the Khamenei family, and were partly used to acquire property around the world.
Bloomberg identified Ali Ansari, a 57-year-old Iranian businessman who also holds Cypriot citizenship, as a central figure in the network. His additional citizenship reportedly enabled him to open bank accounts and establish companies across Europe without raising suspicion.
Ansari, who is said to have known Mojtaba Khamenei since the 1980s, allegedly served as a key proxy for the family in Europe, including handling real estate acquisitions.
In London, investigators said Khamenei controls more than 12 properties worth about $120 million, including a villa valued at over $40 million. He is also reported to own stakes in two hotels in Germany, a luxury golf resort in Mallorca, properties in Paris and a high-end villa in Dubai.
Authorities in Britain later sanctioned Ansari, describing him as a corrupt Iranian banker and businessman who financed the Revolutionary Guards, and froze his assets. Ansari has denied the allegations and said he has no connection to Khamenei.
According to Bloomberg, Khamenei’s London properties were purchased through a shell company called Birch Ventures, registered in the Isle of Man, with Ansari listed as the ultimate beneficiary.
The new investigation by Shomrim and the ICIJ sheds light on how one of the major property deals was financed. In 2013, the shell company received a £36 million loan to purchase land covering more than 20 dunams (around five acres) on Bishops Avenue in London, often referred to as “Billionaires’ Row.”
Financial crime experts noted that loans are sometimes used in money-laundering schemes, particularly where authorities might question the origin of funds.
Documents reviewed by investigators show the loan was issued by a subsidiary of a British private investment fund called LJ Partnership, which acted as an intermediary. The actual financing reportedly came from another company, Topland Jupiter Limited.
Topland later described the transaction as successful and issued a press release about the deal, though the Isle of Man shell company was not mentioned in the announcement.
According to the documents, the loan was repaid in full about two years later, in September 2015.
Topland Jupiter is part of the Topland Group, a major British investment firm founded by Israeli-born brothers Sol Zakay and Eddie Zakay, who are originally from Ramat Gan.
The brothers built Topland into one of Britain’s largest real estate investment companies with assets worth billions of pounds. Over the years, they have made major acquisitions, including properties from retail giants such as Marks & Spencer and Tesco.
The LJ Group, which arranged the loan, has since undergone several corporate changes and is now part of a company known as AITI.
Responding to questions from Shomrim, the company said the inquiries relate to “historical activities of LJ Partnership” that occurred before the establishment of its current structure and that the present organisation was not involved in those earlier transactions.
Source: Ynetnews
