Who is Javad Marandi? A look at British Tory millionaire's family amid money laundering probe

If the 2023 local elections earlier this month were not a nightmare enough for the Conservative Party where they lost more than 1,000 council seats, one of their biggest donors is now facing an NCA money laundering probe.

The businessman in question reportedly donated £756,300 between 2014 and 2020 before boosting the party’s 2019 general election campaign by £250,000.

British businessman Javad Marandi has multiple foreign companies including key businesses in Azerbaijan undergoing a global investigation and has been named by the BBC after he lost a 19-month battle to remain anonymous.

While Mr Marandi strongly denies any wrongdoing, a spokesperson commented that the lifting of the reporting restrictions that may impact Marandi’s reputation was ‘disappointing’.

Mr Marandi received an OBE for his business and philanthropic work following his creation of The Marandi Foundation with his wife Narmina, which helps children’s health and education, and funds the Prince and Princess of Wales' charity.

The 55-year-old also has further links to the monarchy as he is a chairman on the advisory board of The Watercolour World, in which King Charles and Queen Camilla are patrons of.

In light of the allegations surfacing and the end of Javad’s 19-month anonymity battle, PeopleWorld takes a look at his family and net worth:

Javad was born in Tehran, Iran but moved to the UK in 1979 where he studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering before qualifying as an accountant at the now-PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is part of one of Azerbaijan's wealthiest families.

Some of Javad’s other business ventures included becoming the developmental manager of Coca-Cola in Asia, holding the franchise agreement for McDonalds in Azerbaijan and creating businesses in advertising, tobacco distribution and telecommunications.

Closer to home, Javad has invested in property such as Soho Farmhouse where the likes of David Beckham and Cara Delevingne visit. 

While Javad has fingers in many pies, his wife Narmina is not dissimilar having investments in London-based fashion houses Emilia Wickstead and Anya Hindmarch as well as acting as co-chair on the British Fashion Council Foundation, patron on BFC Fashion Trust and co-head of the Serpentine Galleries.

Narmina is the daughter of a Baku-based oncologist named Ali Alizadeh and has welcomed three children with Javad.