Mojtaba Khamenei, the second-eldest son of Iran's Supreme Leader, has built a multibillion-dollar property empire through a network of shell companies and frontmen, according to people familiar with the matter and a leading Western intelligence agency.
The 56-year-old cleric, touted as a potential successor to his father, oversees a sprawling investment empire that includes luxury properties in London, a villa in Dubai, and upscale hotels in Europe, the people said.
The ultimate ownership of the properties traces back to Khamenei through layers of shell companies, with Ali Ansari, a 57-year-old construction magnate, serving as his financial conduit abroad.
The network has helped Khamenei channel funds into Western markets, despite US sanctions imposed on him in 2019, with estimates suggesting billions of dollars have been moved through the system.
The properties owned by the network include a £33.7 million house in London, a villa in Dubai, and five-star hotels in Germany and Spain, according to property records and documents seen by Bloomberg.
The Iranian government has been accused of trying to establish a foothold in Germany's financial system, with Frankfurt's deputy mayor calling for the German government to do more to sanction companies and associates of those in power.
