Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Former Bolton Wanderers striker accused of helping Iranian nationals illegally enter the UK

Former Bolton Wanderers striker accused of helping Iranian nationals illegally enter the UK

Alexander Samizadeh is one of four people charged with providing false travel and identification documents for others

A former Bolton Wanderers player is one of four people accused of providing Iranian nationals with false identification and travel documents, with a view to helping them enter the UK illegally.

Alexander Samizadeh, who made two appearances for the club between 2015 and 2017, is on trial at the Lowry Nightingale Court, alongside his father Abolfazl Samizadeh, Maryam Fakourian, and Iman Kheyri.

All four are charged with conspiracy to facilitate unlawful immigration, relating to a five-year period between January 2014 and March 2019.

"These four people were part of an agreement to help people, who were not EU citizens, to come into the UK unlawfully", prosecution barrister Martin Reid alleged.

Mr Reid told the court that the defendants did this by "acquiring travel and identification documents knowing such documents were fraudulent".

In his opening statement, Mr Reid said that all four of the defendants are Iranian nationals.

Abolfazl Samizadeh, 44, and Alexander Samizadeh, 21, both of Mill Street, Salford have been granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK, while Fakourian, 35, of Coniston Avenue, Little Hulton, and Kheyri, 35, of Somerton Road, Cricklewood, London are both naturalised British citizens.

Mr Reid said: "The prosecution case is that Alexander Samizadeh has another, false, identity - that of Mohammad Hossein Samizadeh - an identity used by him in Italy.

"The identity of Mohammad Samizadeh was used by the conspirators in order to facilitate unlawful immigration, operating bank accounts and making travel bookings for migrants in that name.


Maryam Fakourian poses alongside Abolfazl Samizadeh, while Alexander Samizadeh walks in front


"Alexander Samizadeh and his father Abolfazl Samizadeh arranged and paid for people to travel on commercial flights and provided false documents, allowing a number of individuals to enter the UK, who had no lawful entitlement to do so."

According to Mr Reid, over the five-year period numerous bookings were made under the name of Mohammad Hossein Samizadeh and linked to an address in Mill Street, Salford. The bookings were usually made with a card in the name of Mohammad H Samizadeh, with email addresses and phone numbers also linked to the defendants.

Mr Reid continued: "The role of Ms Fakourian and on one occasion Mr Kheyri was to travel to the locations from which the illegal migrants were due to fly to the UK to meet them and hand over the documents provided by the Samizadehs.

"They would then either accompany the migrants back to the UK or travel home separately."


Iman Kheyri, who is one of four people on trial for allegedly providing false travel and identification documents to Iranian nationals, in order to bring them to the UK illegally.


Alexander and Abolfazl Samizadeh are also charged with a further two counts; conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and possession of false identity documents with improper intention.

Mr Reid claimed that the fraud by false representation charge relates to two applications made to the Home Office by the Samizadehs for Alexander to be granted leave to remain in the UK.

In the initial application, they allegedly stated that Alexander Samizadeh's date of birth was November 10 1997, while in the second application, the date of birth was given as November 10 1998. Due to the dates these applications were submitted, both dates of birth would have made him 16-years-old at the time.

Mr Reid also said that there was no mention of any other names used by Alexander Samizadeh on either of the applications, nor that he had been a resident of Italy.

He added: "This second application was granted and Alexander Samizadeh was given leave to remain in the UK. It's the prosecution case that the representations made were false and that the Samizadehs had agreed to present fraudulent information to the home office".

The possession of false identity documents with improper intention charge relates to a number of false identity documents recovered from a laptop, which had been seized from Alexander Samizadeh's flat.


Former Bolton Wanderers striker Alexander Samazedeh (right) exits court with his father Abolfazl Samizadeh and Maryam Fakourian


According to Mr Reid, the laptop contained pictures of 20 passports which had been reported lost or stolen. There were also a large number of images of non-UK identity documents.

Also allegedly taken from the flat, were bank cards in the name of Mohammad Samizadeh and Abolfazl Samizadeh.

Mr Reid said: "It is the prosecution's case that false identity documents played a crucial part in the defendant's unlawful activities and that they were in possession of these documents for the purposes of facilitating unlawful immigration."

All four defendants deny all the charges made against them.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
×