User Rating: 5 / 5
The attorneys for Mehmet Hakan Atilla, the Turkish banker charged with IEEPA violations, and bank fraud, in the Reza Zarrab Iran oil-for-gold sanctions violations case, in US District Court in Manhattan, have requested that their client be released on bail, citing difficulties that he has had, due to being repeatedly moved between pretrial detention centers, with assisting his counsel, and reviewing the massive amount of electronic discovery. Atilla's counsel has proposed a detailed set of conditions, including house arrest, with monitoring, in New York City, and mortgaging all his real estate assets, which they contend are sufficient to insure his appearance at future proceedings, and at trial.
The nine page letter to the Court also argued that there are both procedural and substantive defects in the indictment, which counsel states is "eminently defendable,"and appeared to minimize his involvement and culpability. The Government alleges that he participated in what has been described as "Economic Jihad," and that there there were forged or fraudulent documents, and incriminating emails chaeged to this defendant. Though Atilla's close connection to Zarrab is alleged. his ties to Alireza Monfared and Babak Zanjani have not yet been specifically alleged; most likely, we must wait for the trial for that information.
Thus far, there has been no bond granted to defendants in this case. We will report on the Court's ruling when it is handed down.
Chronicles of Monte Friesner - Financial Crime Analyst
Contributed by Kenneth Rijock - Financial Crime Consultant
