Rıza Sarraf Arrested in US

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Reuters has reported that businessperson Rıza Sarraf of Iranian origin has been arrested in Miami city in the United States.

According to report of Nate Raymond, Sarraf was arrested for conspiring to evade US sanctions against Iran, money laundering and bank fraud. The prosecution demands 75 years imprisonment for Sarraf. The prosecution announced that Sarraf and two Iranians, Kamelia Jamshidy and Hossein Najafzadeh were taken into custody on Saturday.

Charges against Sarraf:

Bank fraud: 30 years

Conspiring to evade US sanctions against Iran: 25 years

Money laundering: 20 years

Zencani and Sarraf

Rıza Sarraf was arrested on December 21 within the scope of December 17-25 corruption and bribery investigation. He was released after 70 days of imprisonment.

Iranian businessperson Babek Zencani, pointed as Sarraf’s partner in Iran was sentenced to capital punishment on charge of corruption on March 6, 2016.

Zencani has companies in Turkey too. Kont Group Cosmetics in Beşiktaş district of İstanbul is one of them. Zencani is also allegedly linked with Onur Air. Zencani’s attorneys in the past few days had stated in the lawsuit they brought in İstanbul that Onur Air belongs to them.

Zencani is associated with Rıza Sarraf frequently during this period. In the report prepared by inspectors of the Ministry of Customs and Trade, a relation between the two has been mentioned. (HK/TK)