Video footage shows top graft suspect Zarrab leaving Halkbank headquarters

ISTANBUL

The Iranian-born Azeri businessman is accused of illegally transferring gold to Iran in exchange for money via Halkbank. DHA Photo

Turkey’s high-level graft probe suspect Reza Zarrab, who was charged with forming a ring that bribed officials to help disguise illegal gold sales to Iran via Turkey’s state-owned Halkbank, was seen entering the bank’s headquarters on June 16, where he stayed for one-and-a-half hours.

Video footage released late on June 16 showed the Iranian-born Azeri businessman arriving at Halkbank’s main offices in the Ataşehir district of Istanbul earlier in the day.

Zarrab was arrested during the Dec. 17, 2013, corruption and bribery investigation that shook Turkish politics. He was released by police on Feb. 28.

Along with Zarrab, former Halkbank chief executive Süleyman Aslan is among the suspects of the corruption probe. Other suspects include sons of the former Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan and the former Interior Minister Muammer Güler.

Accused of illegally transferring gold to Iran in exchange for money via Halkbank, Aslan was replaced as head of the bank – by Ali Fuat Taşkesenlioğlu – while still in custody.