Graft probe suspects receive seized money

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

Happani received his money in a case on Dec. 23 after the court ruling, the daily Cumhuriyet reported, also releasing pictures of him.

Former interior minister’s son Barış Güler and Iranian businessman Abdullah Happani, who were arrested as part of the Dec. 17, 2014 massive corruption and bribery probe have received their money and gold seized last year.

Happani, who was allegedly working for Iranian businessman Reza Zarrab, was arrested and charged for “mediating a bribe” and “founding a criminal organization” as part of last year’s Dec. 17 probe, but was later released.

Turkish police seized 2 kilograms of gold bullion, 1 million Turkish Liras, 800,000 euros and 60,000 dollars from Happani’s place of business in December 2013. His money and bullion was to be repaid with 55,000 liras of interest, the court ruled.

Happani received his money in a case on Dec. 23 after the court ruling, the daily Cumhuriyet reported, also releasing pictures of him.

Meanwhile, former Interior Minister Muammer Güler’s son, another key suspect in the case, Dec. 23 received some 400,000 Turkish Liras, 300,000 euros and $100,000 seized from his house in the police raids. 

The details of the probe revealed that about 2.5 million liras were transferred from Zarrab and Happani to former Economy Minister Zafar Çağlayan’s brother, Mehmet Şenol Çağlayan, on Oct. 30, 2012. The same amount of money was transferred two days later to the former economy minister’s account. Çağlayan said his brother had paid part of the money he owed for the transfer of his company to his brother after he became a deputy, speaking before a parliamentary graft commission.

Millions of liras found and seized as part of the Dec. 17, 2013 probe from the houses of former Interior Minister Muammer Güler’s son, Barış Güler, and former Halkbank General Manager Süleyman Aslan, will be repaid with interest, after an objection to the dismissal of the probe was cancelled.

Zarrab, who used to be involved in the oil-for-gold trade with Iran, is a suspect in the Dec. 17, 2013 mass corruption probe, on claims that he bribed a number of Turkish ministers and officials to facilitate his business. Turkish media had reported that Zarrab was linked to billionaire Iranian businessman Babak Zanjani, who has been accused of involvement in corrupt relations with former Iranian government officials. Zanjani is in jail in Iran, while Zarrab was released soon after the Turkish probe was launched.