Shoplifting is the act that was officially ordered by Massoud Rajavi the leader of the Mujahedin Khalq to his followers. This crime that usually involves stealing items by the person or an accomplice, and leaving the store without paying was constantly committed by members of the MEK across the European cities, according to former members interviewed in the recently published documentary, “Iran Aid- Ashraf Charity”.
The Iranian university professor and historian, Dr. Majid Tafreshi traveled to Britain in order to investigate the 6-thousand-page documents on fraudulent charities of the MEK released by the British judiciary and the British supervising body, Charity Commission. Dr. Tafreshi also interviewed several former members of the MEK who witnessed the MEK’s fund raising techniques including shoplifting and sham charity works.
According to the documentary, shoplifting, robbery and credit card fraud were the first tricks used by the MEK to provide the group’s team houses in Europe before it resorts to raise funds under the cover of aid for Iranian orphans or victims of the Iranian government.
Davood Baghervand Arshad, defector of the group asserts that shoplifting was justified by Massoud Rajavi as “stealing from western Imperialism”. Ali Akbar Rastgoo, another defector living in Germany, quotes Rajavi as saying, “the German government is illegitimate and we steal what belongs to us from the capitalist regime”!
Thus, theft as a criminal act was called “revolutionary robbery” by the MEK leaders and later on it got new titles. Mohammad Karami, defector of the group recalls that it was called “Making Hollandi” during the 1984 and 1985. “Food and clothes were lifted from shopping centers by MEK members all over Europe,” he says.
Baghervand even reveals about MEK supporters who were university students. “They would steal papers and even printers from the university,” he testifies. “When I was working in the MEK’s office in London, the group leaders would send lists from Paris and members had to shoplift the items of the list. Those members who worked at Mc Donald would steal gallons of ingredients and bring to team houses.” He also speaks of a wide network of credit card fraud by MEK members who worked at gas stations across the United Stated.
Rastgoo explains that the organized robbery by the MEK agents was then called “Confiscation Body”! There were some confiscation teams whose duty was to commit robberies for the group. Based on his testimonies, these teams were gradually arrested by the Police and eventually the “Financial-Social Body” was founded by Massoud and Maryam Rajavi. The teams were now supposed to raise funds under the cover of sham charities which is the focus of Dr. Tafreshi’s research.