Ex-Turkish economy minister among nine charged in US over Iran sanctions

Former minister also allegedly received tens of millions in cash, jewelry

NEW YORK: A former Turkish economy minister is among nine people indicted in the United States on charges of carrying out hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions benefiting Iran and Iranian entities in violation of US sanctions.

Eight of the nine are Turkish and one is Iranian. Only two have been arrested. The former minister, Mehmet Zafer Caglayan, remains at large, according to a statement from the US Attorney's office for the southern district of New York.



The financial transactions violated US sanctions designed to deny Iran access to the US financial system, the statement said.

The offenses are alleged to have been carried out from 2010 to 2015. Some sanctions against Iran were lifted under the 2015 nuclear agreement with major western powers that was designed to curb its nuclear weapons programme.

The statement said Caglayan, 59, and three other defendants who were executives of state owned Turkish Bank-1 laundered money linked to Iran in return for millions of dollars in bribes.



The former minister also allegedly received tens of millions in cash and jewelry. The two suspects who were arrested more than a year ago are scheduled to go on trial October 30 in New York. If convicted they face prison terms of up to 30 years.