Zarrab trial in U.S. is a 'clear plot against Turkey', government says

[Swordsmyth]

A U.S. court case against a wealthy Turkish gold trader is a "clear plot against Turkey" that lacks any legal basis, Ankara's government spokesman said on Monday, ratcheting up rhetoric ahead of a trial that has strained diplomatic relations.Bekir Bozdag also told a news conference that the U.S. case was aimed at harming economic relations between Turkey, Iran and Russia. He said U.S. authorities were putting pressure on defendants, including the gold trader Reza Zarrab, to make accusations against Turkey.

Zarrab, together with alleged co-conspirators, has been charged with handling hundreds of millions of dollars for Iran's government and Iranian entities from 2010 to 2015, in a scheme to avoid U.S. sanctions on Iran. He has pleaded not guilty and is due to go on trial in New York on Nov. 27.

More at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/zarrab-tr...113512061.html

[Swordsmyth]

Jury members for a high-profile trial relating to Turkey's evasion of U.S. sanctions on Iran will not be named in court, a federal judge suggested Tuesday.
Judge Richard Berman took the unusual step of suggesting concealing jurors' identities after noting that individuals involved in the case have been contacted by "third parties” seeking to interfere with the trial of accused Turkish sanctions violators.
"I guess it's hearsay for sure, but I've heard of people involved in this case being approached inappropriately by third parties. And that even includes court interpreters," Berman said, implying that the individuals represented Turkish government interests. He added that he will refer such behavior "to the appropriate authorities" if it continues.

More at: https://www.thedailybeast.com/judge-...test+Articles)

[Swordsmyth]

Turkish Gold Dealer Pleads Guilty in Politically Explosive Sanctions Trial

http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/11/28/turkish-gold-dealer-pleads-guilty-in-politically-explosive-sanctions-trial-iran-zarrab-erdogan/

[Swordsmyth]

Reza Zarrab, who has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with U.S. prosecutors in the criminal trial of a Turkish bank executive, told jurors in federal court in Manhattan that he helped Iran use funds deposited in Turkey's state-owned Halkbank to buy gold, which was smuggled to Dubai and sold for cash.

More at: https://www.yahoo.com/news/turkish-g...--finance.html

[Swordsmyth]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been implicated for the first time in a plot to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions.
Reza Zarrab, a gold trader who laundered billions of dollars on behalf of Iran, said a senior Turkish official told him then-prime minister Erdogan personally signed off on a plan to involve two Turkish banks in the scheme.
Zarrab, said he was told by Turkey’s then-economy minister, Zafer Caglayan, that "the prime minister had given his approval for the work with Ziraat," referring to Turkish bank Ziraat Bankasi. Asked by the prosecutor, Sidhardha Kamaraju, who was prime minister of the country at the time, Zarrab testified: "Recep Tayyip Erdogan."

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/erdog...164028498.html

[timosman]

He should have traded in modern art.

[Swordsmyth]

He should have traded in modern art.

He must not be a member of that particular club.

[Swordsmyth]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey did not violate a trade embargo imposed on Iran because Istanbul did not commit to abide by U.S. sanctions, Bloomberg reported Dec. 1.

https://worldview.stratfor.com/situa...president-says