Hejbar Yazdani: The Untold Story of Iran’s Pre-Revolution Business Magnate, Known as “Mr. 13”

Life in Exile: Costa Rica and Banking Ventures

Yazdani’s decision to move to Costa Rica was strategic. Costa Rica had stringent policies against extradition, making it a safe haven for Yazdani as he sought to avoid capture or extradition back to Iran. In Costa Rica, Yazdani rebuilt his life and turned to the banking sector once again. He became involved in local banking ventures and made connections with Costa Rican officials.

However, Yazdani’s ventures in Costa Rica were not as successful as his empire in Iran. His bank suffered significant losses due to bad investments in coffee, and when global coffee prices plummeted, many of the middle-class depositors who had trusted their savings to Yazdani’s bank lost everything. This failure marked a significant downturn in Yazdani’s fortune. To add to his troubles, one of his children was kidnapped, only to be returned after an agonizing eleven-month ordeal.

December 30, 2022 | 9:13 pm