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Mamy Ravatomanga faces corruption trial over Boeing 777 sales to Iran
•2 min read•1 source
Mamy Ravatomanga, a prominent Malagasy businessman and close ally of former president Andry Rajoelina, has become the primary defendant in a significant corruption trial. The case centers on the illicit transfer of five Boeing 777 aircraft to Iran, a move allegedly designed to bypass long-standing United States sanctions. Currently detained in Mauritius, Ravatomanga faces serious charges of money laundering and influence peddling arising from a complex international scheme involving the use of Malagasy aircraft registrations to obscure the final destination of the jets.
The prosecution alleges that the aircraft were funneled to Iran’s Mahan Air through a series of maneuvers that exploited Madagascar’s regulatory framework. The investigation, a collaborative effort between the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Mauritian authorities, uncovered a network of digital evidence and witness testimonies linking the power elite in Madagascar to the sanctioned Iranian airline. The trial involves a total of 28 defendants, including high-level government officials, highlighting the scale of the alleged influence peddling used to facilitate the deal.
Ravatomanga has denied all charges brought against him. His legal team has publicly challenged his continued detention in Mauritius, describing it as disproportionate to the nature of the alleged offenses and the scope of the indictments. Despite these objections, the court proceedings continue to scrutinize how the five wide-body jets were successfully moved into Iranian hands. The outcome of the trial is expected to have significant implications for Madagascar’s international standing, particularly regarding its oversight of aviation registrations and its commitment to global anti-money laundering protocols.
