Ministry of Foreign Affairs on ‘Atilla’: Unfair and Unfortunate Development

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement about verdict rendered on former Halkbank Deputy General Director Mehmet Hakan Atilla in the United States yesterday (January 3) at around 10:30 p.m.

The ministry described the verdict as “an unfair and unfortunate development”. The statement read, “This is an unprecedented intervention in internal affairs of Turkey. Our wish is that this legally shameful verdict be reversed”.

The jury members made their decision about business person Reza Zarrab (34) and Atilla (48) in case of US sanctions on Iran on the fourth day. After Zarrab agreed with the prosecution and accepted to testify, Atilla became the defendant in the trial.

The 12 jury members ruled that Atilla committed five counts of six charges. He was acquitted of “money laundering”.

Six charges pressed against Atilla were as follows:

- Forming an organization to swindle US Department of Treasury

- Plotting to bypass the International Emergency Economic Powers Act 

- Counterfeiting in banking system

- Plotting to counterfeit in banking system

- Plotting to launder money

- Money laundering

(PT/TK)