Erdogan Helped Turks Evade Iran Sanctions, Reza Zarrab Says
- 6 years ago
Erdogan Helped Turks Evade Iran Sanctions, Reza Zarrab Says
On Wednesday, Mr. Zarrab testified that he had paid bribes of 45 million to 50 million euros
and $7 million to Mr. Caglayan; he said Mr. Caglayan asked for 50 percent of the profits generated by the scheme, which was being run through a Turkish state bank, Halkbank.
As recently as Thursday, before Mr. Zarrab, 34, told his story to jurors in Federal District Court in New York, Mr. Erdogan said, "We did not breach
the sanctions." "Whatever the verdict is, we did the right thing," he said at a closed meeting with his deputies, Turkish state media reported.
30, 2017
Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey personally ordered that two Turkish banks be allowed to participate in an oil-for-gold scheme
that violated United States sanctions on Iran, according to testimony on Thursday by a Turkish-Iranian gold trader in a federal trial in Manhattan.
Mr. Zarrab testified that it was Zafer Caglayan, Turkey’s economy minister at the time, who told him of
Mr. Erdogan’s approval for the two banks, Ziraat Bank and VakifBank, to participate in the scheme.
On Thursday, Mr. Zarrab said he had also paid bribes to the general manager of Halkbank, Suleyman Aslan, who was critical to their scheme, he said.
On Wednesday, Mr. Zarrab testified that he had paid bribes of 45 million to 50 million euros
and $7 million to Mr. Caglayan; he said Mr. Caglayan asked for 50 percent of the profits generated by the scheme, which was being run through a Turkish state bank, Halkbank.
As recently as Thursday, before Mr. Zarrab, 34, told his story to jurors in Federal District Court in New York, Mr. Erdogan said, "We did not breach
the sanctions." "Whatever the verdict is, we did the right thing," he said at a closed meeting with his deputies, Turkish state media reported.
30, 2017
Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey personally ordered that two Turkish banks be allowed to participate in an oil-for-gold scheme
that violated United States sanctions on Iran, according to testimony on Thursday by a Turkish-Iranian gold trader in a federal trial in Manhattan.
Mr. Zarrab testified that it was Zafer Caglayan, Turkey’s economy minister at the time, who told him of
Mr. Erdogan’s approval for the two banks, Ziraat Bank and VakifBank, to participate in the scheme.
On Thursday, Mr. Zarrab said he had also paid bribes to the general manager of Halkbank, Suleyman Aslan, who was critical to their scheme, he said.