The 'Bank ATM' of Iranian Football Has Been Arrested

The Tehran prosecutor has announced the arrest and legal prosecution of two major debtors, one of whom is involved in sports. Jafari Dolatabadi stated: The policy of the prosecutor's office regarding major bank debtors is to recover the banks' funds. Fars News reported that 'upon a little investigation, it became clear that this individual is none other than Mr. 'H-H', who has connections with one of the major sports teams. This individual, who has had a prominent role in player transfers over the years, has been arrested several times before.' Fars News explains the reason for Hossein Heydati's arrest: 'Additional information indicates that he has been arrested in connection with one of the high-profile financial corruption cases that has recently emerged in the country.' Heydati's previous arrests were so short that each time after his release, he denied any arrest or interrogation. It is unclear whether this time, following the escalation of the verbal conflict between the heads of the judiciary and executive branches, Heydati's arrest is also a short-term maneuver for media publicity, or whether he will be tried this time, unlike previous arrests. In September 2012, when he was absent from the introduction ceremony of the coach of Gahar Doroud, Parviz Mazlumi stated that he had undergone surgery, but sports media reported his arrest due to 'billion-dollar bank debts.' The chairman of the board of the Esteghlal club also told ISNA that he is currently at the club and we do not know the reason for these rumors. The website Basirat estimated Heydati's debt to the banking system at '180 billion tomans' after the news of his imprisonment was published in October 2012. This former IRGC member, with over six hundred thousand followers on Instagram, is considered a celebrity in the virtual world of Iranians. The image of the 'generous man' that has been constructed around Mr. Heydati in some sports media over the past decade, along with the titles 'Bank ATM' or 'Hatam Tayi' given to him, has led to hundreds of comments from job seekers or financially needy individuals under his posts every day. Mr. Heydati's football experiences have always been unsuccessful. Esteghlal Tehran and Semnan, Gahar Zagros Doroud, and Malavan Bandar Anzali, under Heydati's management or ownership, have not achieved any success and even faced complaints to the disciplinary committee, FIFA, and judicial authorities from players and coaches. Jam Jam newspaper detailed Heydati's assets in its Nowruz 2008 issue. Ownership of Esteghlal Industries, steel and sheet factories, shrimp farming, tower construction in the UAE, agricultural lands, furniture market, and commercial companies in the Middle East are among Heydati's activities. A search in the official newspaper of the country shows a list of companies he has established or held key positions in over the past decade: Khalij Nayband Agro-Industry, Media Gostar Rona, Ettehad Shokufa Investment, Khavar Azin Industry Development, Fajr Galvanized Industries, Rahrovan Hazrat Zahra Institute, Afrooz Azin Company, Khavarsaz Industry Development, South Alborz Food Industries, and Gilan Shir Dairy Products. Despite such a background, Ali Karimi, a star of Iranian football and a former player of Esteghlal, stated that Heydati has been forced to receive free uniforms for his team from an unknown Iranian manufacturer. The team, which according to Heydati's promises was supposed to choose its coach from among greats like Frank Rijkaard and Fatih Terim, did not even have the right to train at Dastgerdi Stadium due to overdue debts. In October 2012, the Basirat website wrote: Heydati was 'one of the well-known bank debtors who had tried to keep himself safe from usual repercussions.' He is someone who provided only seven billion tomans in bail for a debt of 180 billion tomans. In the Basirat report, Heydati was accused of 'paying suspicious sums to famous mourners and engaging in illegal economic activities under the guise of religious ceremonies,' allegations that went unanswered by him. At that time, Mohseni Ejei, the spokesperson for the judiciary, stated regarding Hossein Heydati's arrest: 'I know he has been pursued, but I have no information on whether it has led to his arrest. I know a case has been formed, and he has banking issues.' In an interview published by Mehr News Agency, Heydati spoke about his background in the IRGC and his departure from this organization, saying: 'When I left the IRGC, General Dehghan, the commander of the IRGC Air Force, said you are suited for the economy.'