Turkish Banker Released From US Prison
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published July 20, 2019 | 12:22 PM
A Turkish banker convicted for plotting to help Iran evade American sanctions on Iranian oil proceeds has been released from US prison, according to his lawyer and prison officials
New York, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Jul, 2019 ):A Turkish banker convicted for plotting to help Iran evade American sanctions on Iranian oil proceeds has been released from US prison, according to his lawyer and prison officials.
Mehmet Hakan Atilla, 47, deputy director general of Turkish lender Halkbank, was arrested in March 2017 and convicted the following year on five counts of bank fraud and conspiracy following a five-week trial in New York.
He was handed over to immigration police on Friday pending his deportation to Turkey, his lawyer Victor Rocco told AFP. Prison authorities confirmed his release.
Atilla claimed that he had only played a minor role in the scheme and acted as executor of instructions by the bank's director general -- an argument accepted by the court.
Prosecutors had wanted a 20-year sentence for the banker.
His conviction hinged on the testimony of Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab, who was arrested by US authorities in 2016 after jetting to Florida with his pop-star wife and child on a family holiday to Disney World.
Zarrab, 34, initially pleaded not guilty then flipped, becoming a US government witness after admitting being involved in the multi-billion-dollar gold-for-oil scheme to subvert US economic sanctions against Iran.
His testimony identified Atilla as a key organizer in the scheme, but also implicated former Turkish ministers and even President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Testifying in court last November, Zarrab said he was told that Erdogan, as prime minister in 2012, and treasury minister Ali Babacan gave "instructions" to two public banks to take part in the scheme.
Erdogan has repeatedly rejected the allegations, saying Turkey did not violate the US embargo on Iran and that political rivals were behind the case.
Zarrab's sentence is not known, as many of the documents in his case have remained confidential.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Food minster for ensuring transparent distribution of Bardana
Russia says has evidence Moscow attackers were linked to Kyiv
PM chairs review meeting on stoppage of electricity theft
IPM survey proves biocontrol technology profitable for cotton farmers
Pandemic accord talks heading for extra time
Senate elections in KP hang on reserve seat oath-taking, states ECP
UK's biggest water supplier plunges into deeper financial crisis
DG SEPA for installation of waste water treatment facilities
Man gets life imprisonment for killing wife
French parliament condemns 1961 Paris massacre of Algerians
First Inter Schools Naat Competition held in Larkana
S.Africa electoral body bars ex-president Zuma from May election
More Stories From Business
-
Pak-Türkiye strategize to boost bilateral trade to $5 billion
1 hour ago -
Chief Representative of CFFEX in Pakistan and PSX Director meet Finance Minister
1 hour ago -
Banks to open on March 30, 31 to facilitate tax collection
2 hours ago -
Stock markets rise before Easter break
2 hours ago -
NCA approves revised first quarter GDP estimates for 2023-24
2 hours ago -
26% increase on tobacco tax can reduce PKR 300bn in health cost
4 hours ago
-
Minister expresses anguish over alleged use of poor-quality material
4 hours ago -
Commerce Minister initiates push for E-commerce growth with in-house briefing
5 hours ago -
Pakistan's total liquid foreign reserves reach $ 13.42 billion
5 hours ago -
European stock markets head into Easter break with slight gains
4 hours ago -
Korean envoy promises all efforts to enhance direct trade with Faisalabad
5 hours ago -
Russian Ambassador congratulates Jam Kamal on assuming charge, discusses trade
6 hours ago