The U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on Mir Rahman Rahmani, the last Speaker of the former Parliament of Afghanistan, and his son Ajmal Rahmani, a member of the same assembly, along with other family members. They are accused of malfeasance in contracts funded by the United States. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Mir Rahman Rahmani initiated a complex financial corruption scheme through his companies, resulting in the embezzlement of millions of dollars from contracts intended to support Afghanistan’s former security forces, financed by the United States. As a consequence, their assets in the United States are frozen, and Americans are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Individuals conducting specific financial transactions with them also face the risk of sanctions. However, some political observers question the allegations against Rahmani and his family, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation. They suggest that “many individuals” may come under scrutiny in this regard.
On Monday, December 11, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced in a statement that Mir Rahman Rahmani, the last Speaker of the Parliament of Afghanistan, and his son Ajmal Rahmani, also a member of the Parliament of Afghanistan, have been placed on the sanctions list of the department for committing “systemic corruption.”
The statement from the Treasury Department reads, “The Rahmanis, through their Afghan companies, orchestrated a complex financial corruption scheme leading to the embezzlement of millions of dollars from contracts funded by the United States government for Afghan security forces.”
In addition to these individuals, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department has also sanctioned 44 entities associated with them.
Brian Nelson, the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence of the United States, stated that the sanctions on these individuals and companies underscore the department’s commitment to “hold to account” those who exploit their positions for personal gain.
According to the report, the Rahmani family systematically devised schemes for their corruption at each stage, creating opportunities to enrich themselves at the expense of others.
Based on this report, the Rahmanis are accused of inflating rates in oil contracts with the former Afghan government’s defense and security forces. Allegedly, they illicitly imported oil and sold it without proper financial transparency.
In a statement from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, it is asserted that Mir Rahman Rahmani and Ajmal Rahmani engaged in bribery within the Afghan Parliament and leveraged their official positions to sustain their “corrupt system.”
The statement reads, “Mir Rahman Rahmani and Ajmal Rahmani controlled multiple companies secretly, presenting numerous proposals with exorbitant rates and, through deception in auctions and elimination of competition, secured American contracts.”
The ministry further added: “In 2014, several families, including the Rahmanis, were involved in the fuel trade, and through collusion, they excluded their competitors from tenders for subsidized contracts by the United States, valued at over $200 million, to raise fuel prices.”
On the other hand, the ministry has accused the Rahmanis of fraudulent oil imports selling it without paying taxes, and failing to deliver the agreed-upon amount of oil.
The ministry pointed out, “In one such case, Ajmal Rahmani obtained an exemption allowing him to import twice the authorized amount of oil. In the years 2017 and 2018, one of the Rahmani companies imported about one billion liters of oil, while the one-year consumption of oil by Afghan security and defense forces was 400 million liters.”
As a result, the assets of these individuals are frozen in the United States, and Americans are prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. Individuals conducting specific financial transactions with them also face the risk of sanctions.
In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has imposed sanctions on 44 companies, including 33 German, 8 Cypriot, 6 Emirati, 2 Austrian, 2 Dutch, and 2 Bulgarian companies.
The U.S. Treasury Department has investigated the financial corruption of the Rahmanis in collaboration with the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
However, some political observers find the allegations against Rahmani and his family intriguing and emphasize the need for a thorough investigation.
Ahmad Saeedi, a political analyst, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily that it is likely that “many individuals” will face repercussions.
He adds, “In my belief, what the U.S. Treasury has decided about Rahmani is, at this point, an accusation and needs to be investigated to determine whether it’s a fact or an allegation. However, if it turns out to be true, Americans also had a role in their oil contracts. Why weren’t these revealed in due time? This, in itself, is questionable. I believe the list will be longer, and many individuals will be held accountable.”
In response to the question of why other figures from the previous government haven’t been investigated yet, he said, “These U.S. actions currently have electoral implications; they signal individuals who can alleviate the existing pressure. Other individuals, like Ashraf Ghani and Moheb, were America’s pawns, and their account is separate.”
The reporter attempted to obtain the perspective of Mir Rahman Rahmani or his son but was unsuccessful in receiving their response despite multiple attempts.
However, Mir Rahman Rahmani, in a statement posted on his Facebook page, has deemed the accusations made by the United States as contrary to international standards and principles. He stated that the publication of these reports undermines the credibility of American institutions and fosters distrust from other nations towards the country.
In Mr. Rahmani’s statement, it is mentioned, “The financial report of all contracts, which unequivocally and completely rejects the allegations, is available and will be presented to competent authorities promptly.”
Mir Rahman Rahmani was elected as the Speaker of the Parliament of Afghanistan on May 18, 2019, securing 123 votes. He held this position until the fall of the previous government. His son, Ajmal Rahmani, was also elected with a significant vote in the parliamentary elections of 2018 from Kabul.
