US: Sentencing for Turkish banker postponed until May 7

By Safvan Allahverdi

WASHINGTON (AA) - A U.S. judge on Monday postponed until May 7 the sentencing of a former Turkish banker convicted of violating American sanctions on Iran.

"Because of the number of issues raised by the parties in their (extensive) sentencing submissions, the sentencing scheduled for April 11, 2018, is adjourned to May 7, 2018," Judge Richard Berman announced.

Last week, the U.S. prosecutors asked a federal judge to sentence Mehmet Hakan Atilla to at least 15 years in prison and a monetary punishment between $50,000 to $500,000.

In a 75-page petition to the court, Atilla's lawyers asked the judge for a "fair and merciful" sentence of between 4 to 5 years.

Citing similar cases in which other national banks violated sanctions against Iran, the lawyers noted that none of the directors of those banks were arrested or sentenced but Atilla, who had no connection with the U.S., is facing a prison term.

Defense lawyers also said evidence showed their client had been used by the “architect of this plot", businessman Riza Sarraf.

Sarraf, who was arrested in the U.S. in March 2016 and accused of violating U.S. sanctions on Iran, pleaded guilty in the case last October and cooperated with prosecutors. He testified against Atilla.

Atilla’s lawyers sought to dismiss all charges last December, citing insufficient evidence. They said prosecutors were unable to prove Atilla had a connection with the crimes committed by Sarraf.

But on Jan. 3, Atilla was found guilty by a jury on five counts related to conspiracy and bank fraud but was acquitted of money laundering.

A month later, a New York judge turned down a request by Atilla to acquit him of all charges due to lack of evidence, saying there was “sufficient evidence” to support the charges.