A woman known as Iran's "Black Widow" has been sentenced to death after a two-decade spree that left at least 10 of her ex-husbands dead. Kolthoum Akbari, 56, confessed to a significant portion of the killings, according to the Mazandaran Province Judiciary’s public relations office. Authorities believe greed was the primary motive, with Akbari allegedly collecting gold, cash, and dowry wealth from her victims.
Her methods often involved using sedatives, rubbing alcohol, and other medications to incapacitate her husbands before killing them. In one confession, Akbari stated, "I don’t know how many I killed. Maybe it was 13 or 15 people. I don’t remember exactly. I’d drug them and then use a towel."
Akbari's lethal run reportedly concluded in 2023 with the death of her 82-year-old husband, Gholamreza Babaei. He had reportedly complained to family members that Akbari was forcing him to take medications, and he died shortly thereafter.
Under Iran's Sharia law, which includes the principle of "qisas" or eye-for-an-eye justice, victims' families have the option to seek retribution or accept blood money. Ten families opted for the death penalty, while at least one agreed to accept financial compensation.
Akbari's pattern involved entering into "temporary" marriages, known as sigheh in Iran. These contractual relationships included a dowry and a specified duration. She would allegedly marry elderly men, drug them, and then collect their assets.
The court has issued 10 death sentences against Akbari, along with additional sentences for attempted murder. Victims’ families have a deadline to appeal the sentences. Another Iranian serial killer, Mahin Qadiri, was executed in 2006 after being convicted of killing five women.