{{short description|Iranian-French businessperson (b. 1974)}} {{more footnotes needed|date=December 2018}} {{Infobox person | name = Mogi Bayat | image = File:Mogi_Bayat_-_Sporting_Charleroi.JPG | alt = | caption = Mogi Bayat in 2005 | birth_name = Arnaud Bayat | birth_date = June 24, 1974 | birth_place = France | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Football Agent | years_active = 2017–present | known_for = | notable_works = }} '''Mogi Bayat''' (Malayer, June 24, 1974), official name '''Arnaud Bayat''',<ref name="arnaud">[http://www.dhnet.be/sports/football/division1/charleroi/qui-est-vraiment-mehdi-bayat-51b74f46e4b0de6db978b7f3 Qui est vraiment Mehdi Bayat?], ''La Dernière Heure'' (3 oktober 2012), geraadpleegd op 11 februari 2015.</ref> is an Iranian-French businessman. He is the head of football of the Football Club de Nantes since 2017. He is the nephew of Abbas Bayat and the brother of Mehdi Bayat.<ref name="rijkstebelgen">[http://derijkstebelgen.be/nieuws/voetbalgeld-mogi-bayat-makelaar-50-miljoen-euro Mogi Bayat, de makelaar van 50 miljoen euro], derijkstebelgen.be (3 september 2018)</ref>
== Biography == The Iran-born Mogi Bayat moved to the United States when he was 6 years old, where he was getting treatment.<ref>[http://archives.lesoir.be/-aujourd-8217-hui-tout-est-possible-a-charleroi-_t-20101009-0137RC.html "Aujourd’hui, tout est possible à Charleroi"], ''Le Soir'' (9 oktober 2010).</ref> One year later, he and his family moved to France.
Bayat became a businessman and became the director of the fruit juice brand Sunnyland France. He stopped with this in 2003 when he was appointed as managing director of football club Sporting Charleroi.
Since December 2010 Bayat became active as a player broker. He had influence on the transfers of Anthony Limbombe, Kaveh Rezaei, Obbi Oulare, Lukasz Teodorczyk, Massimo Bruno, Adrien Trebel, Samuel Kalu, Bubacarr Sanneh, Thomas Foket and other players.
On 10 October 2018 Bayat was arrested. He was suspected of money laundering and matchfixing.<ref>[http://sporza.be/nl/matches/voetbal/2018-10/liveblog-gerechtelijk-onderzoek-bij-topclubs-jupiler-pro-league/ Gerechtelijk onderzoek bij topclubs Jupiler Pro League], Sporza (10 oktober 2018)</ref>
In April 2019, the sale of €18.5 million player Aleksandar Mitrović triggered Belgian police raids and money laundering investigations. Herman Van Holsbeeck, former manager of R.S.C. Anderlecht, and Bayat were detained for questioning. Bayat was released on conditional bail six weeks later. Van Holsbeeck was released immediately.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.insideworldfootball.com/2019/04/25/newcastles-e18-5m-mitrovic-buy-sparks-belgian-police-raids-money-laundering-probe/ | title=Newcastle's €18.5m Mitrovic buy sparks Belgian police raids and money laundering probe | date=25 April 2019 | website=insideworldfootball.com | accessdate=27 July 2021}}</ref>
In a radio interview with "After Foot RMC" in June 2020, Bayat compared himself to Nelson Mandela and tried to defend his record. He is said to have a monopoly on the transfer business of FC Nantes.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2020/mogi-bayat-compares-himself-to-nelson-mandela-in-surreal-radio-intervention/ | title=Mogi Bayat compares himself to Nelson Mandela in surreal radio intervention | date=16 June 2020 | website=getfootballnewsfrance.com | accessdate=29 July 2021}}</ref> In December 2020, in the course of the investigation against Bayat, police officers searched the training center of FC Nantes. Bayat has been very influential at FC Nantes over the last decade.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2020/police-officers-search-nantes-training-centre-as-part-of-investigation-into-mogi-bayat/ | title=Police officers search Nantes' training centre as part of investigation into Mogi Bayat | date=10 December 2020 | website=getfootballnewsfrance.com | accessdate=4 August 2021}}</ref>
==See also== *2017–18 Belgian football fraud investigation
== References == {{reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bayat, Mogi}} Category:Living people Category:1974 births Category:French businesspeople Category:21st-century Iranian businesspeople Category:French people of Iranian descent Category:Association football executives