Turkish presidential spokesperson Kalın says US verdict on Turkish banker Atilla ‘scandalous’

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

A U.S. court’s verdict finding Turkish banker Hakan Atilla guilty of helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions is a “scandalous decision of a scandalous case,” Turkish presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said Jan. 4.

Speaking at a news conference at the presidential complex, Kalın said the U.S. court aimed to intervene in Turkey’s internal affairs through the case.

“This [verdict] is a scandalous decision of a scandalous case. It is loud and clear that this case is a conspiracy aimed at complicating Turkey’s internal politics and intervening in Turkey’s internal affairs,” he said.

On Jan. 3, a jury in New York found Atilla guilty on five counts related to conspiracy and bank fraud but acquitted him of money laundering.

The verdict by a panel of six men and six women against Atilla, the 47-year-old former deputy chief executive officer of Turkey’s Halkbank, came after more than three weeks of testimonies and four days of deliberation.

The counts on which Atilla was declared guilty included violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran, crimes to deceive the U.S. and defrauding U.S. banks.