Reza Zarrab (C) with lawyers Erich Ferrari (L), Marc Agnifilo (2nd L), and Benjamin Brafman (R) in a Manhattan federal court in New York, US, April 24, 2017. ( Reuters Archive )

Zarrab Says He Paid $45,000 Bribe to US Prison Guard

Reza Zarrab said on Tuesday that he paid a $45,000 bribe to a US prison guard to obtain alcohol and use the guard's phone to speak with his wife, daughter and lawyer. During a hearing at a Manhattan court in the trial of Mehmet Hakan Atilla, Zarrab who is cooperating with US prosecutors, testified that he got the money through a Turkish attorney whom he did not identify. The US Bureau of Prisons could not immediately be reached for comment. Zarrab is the key US government witness in its case against Atilla, an executive at Turkey's Halkbank who is charged with scheming to violate US sanctions against Iran. He has pleaded not guilty. Zarrab testified on Tuesday under cross-examination by Atilla's attorney, Cathy Fleming, that he and Atilla did not like each other.

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In a courtroom sketch, Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab (center) testifies before Judge Richard Berman (right) that he helped Iran to evade US economic sanctions with help from banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla, Wednesday, November 29, 2017. ( AP )

Reza Zarrab Testifies for Seven Days in "US Against Atilla" Case

On November 28, US prosecutors on “the US against Reza Zarrab” case revealed that Zarrab had gone from being a defendant in the case to a witness. Zarrab, a businessman who holds both Iranian and Turkish citizenship, made an agreement with the prosecutor’s office and pleaded guilty. He put former deputy CEO of Turkish state-run Halkbank at the centre of all accusations. “By testifying against Mehmet [Hakan] Atilla, Zarrab hopes he can buy freedom, a shortcut back to his lavish life with the rich and famous. He’s a liar, a cheater, a corrupter of men on a staggering scale…a one-man crime wave,” said Victor Rocco, the attorney of Mehmet Hakan Atilla, who has denied any wrongdoing. Zarrab’s testimony started in Federal District Court in Manhattan the following day on December 29.

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Fugitive Hüseyin Korkmaz (L) and his wife after being released in Turkey

FBI Gave $50,000 'Assistance' to Gülenist Who Confessed Role in Op to Overthrow Turkey's Gov't: Court Hearing

Adam Klasfeld, a reporter for Courthouse News said late Tuesday that Gülenist Hüseyin Korkmaz testified in a trial in New York that the Federal Bureau of Investigation gave him $50,000 of "financial assistance" which he said he didn't ask for. Korkmaz has been an important name in the trial and has stood out with his contradictory statements, namely for completely denying while he was in Turkey that "he had anything to do with" the December 17-25 judicial coup attempt perpetrated by Gülenist terror group (FETÖ) to overthrow Turkey's democratically elected government, but later confessing after coming to the U.S. that he was actually the investigator of the case with eight officers working under his command.

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Turkish drama series “Kara Sevda” (Endless Love) won Best Telenovela at the 45th International Emmy Awards on Nov. 21.

Turkish TV Series Wins International Emmy Award for First Time

By Jimmy Cuneyt Gurkan - The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the winners of the 45th International Emmy® Awards tonight at a Black-Tie Gala event attended by 1,000 television professionals from around the world and hosted by comedian Maz Jobrani at the New York Hilton. The Directorate Award and 11 Emmy statues were presented by the International Academy during the evening.

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The American Turkish Society’s 16th Annual New York Turkish Film Festival

The American Turkish Society’s 16th Annual New York Turkish Film Festival

By Jimmy Cuneyt Gurkan - The 16th New York Turkish Film Festival took place in SVA Theatre in Manhattan from November 30th to December 3rd. The festival is organized by ATS American Turkish Society and sponsored by TAIK (Turkey US Business Council). New York Consulate General Honorable Ertan Yalcin, Chair of Board of Directors of ATS Murat Koprulu, festival director Janset Bayibay, ATS board member Lawrence M Kaye, actors Mehmet Ali Alabora, Alican Yucesoy, Pinar Ogun, Peyman Umay, Director Doğan Özmekik, writer Nilüfer Ozmekik were some of the guests enjoying the festival. I have specially enjoyed the future film “Cold of Kalandar” and the short movie “Exhibit”.

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Under the leadership of Murat Cetinkaya, the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey raised interest rates in order to contain the depreciation of the Turkish lira

Growth in Turkey Hits 11.1 Percent

The Turkish Statistical Institute has announced that its third-quarter GDP figures depict a growth rate of 11.1 percent year-on-year. This makes it the fastest-growing country in the G20 by a considerable margin, with China trailing behind with 6.8 percent growth. The double-digit figure marks a substantial leap from rates seen over the past year, with year-on-year growth coming in at around five percent for the first two quarters of 2017. Notably, it reflects a recovery from the contraction of 1.8 percent that was announced this time last year.

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Turkish-American Professor Named New Head of Engineering Department at MIT

Turkish-American Professor Named New Head of Engineering Department at MIT

Turkish-American Prof. Dr. Asu Özdağlar has been named the new head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Özdağlar has served as the interim head of the department since July 1 after former head Acanthi Chandraksan was named dean of the School of Engineering. Özdağlar is best known for her contributions to the areas of optimization theory, economic and social networked systems, and game theory.

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FILE PHOTO: Turkish gold trader Reza Zarrab is shown in this court room sketch as he appears in Manhattan federal court in New York, U.S., April 24, 2017. REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg Reuters

Reza Zarrab Details Money Laundering Scheme for Iran

By Brendan Pierson - NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Turkish-Iranian gold trader described in a U.S. court on Wednesday how he ran a sprawling international money laundering scheme aimed at helping Iran get around U.S. sanctions and spend its oil and gas revenues abroad. Reza Zarrab, who has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with U.S. prosecutors in the criminal trial of a Turkish bank executive, told jurors in federal court in Manhattan that he helped Iran use funds deposited in Turkey's state-owned Halkbank to buy gold, which was smuggled to Dubai and sold for cash. The testimony, given through Turkish interpreters, came on the second day of the trial of Halkbank executive Mehmet Hakan Atilla, who has pleaded not guilty.

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In this Monday, Nov. 20, 2017 photo, Chobani yogurt cups are displayed in New York. Chobani, the company that helped kick-start the Greek yogurt craze, is shrinking those words from its label as it hints it may expand beyond that food in an increasingly crowded yogurt market.

Chobani Gets New Look and Hints at Going Beyond Yogurt

Chobani, the company that helped kick-start the Greek yogurt craze, is shrinking those words on its label as it may expand beyond that food in an increasingly crowded yogurt market. The new look, which will show up in supermarkets this week, removes "Greek Yogurt" from underneath the Chobani name. The yogurt inside will stay the same. Its packaging will be more muted than the current bright white, use a new font and style, and feature watercolor paintings of fruits rather than photographs of strawberries and peaches.

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Reza Zarrab Will Not Go On Trial: US Judge

Reza Zarrab Will Not Go On Trial: US Judge

By Safvan Allahverdi - AA - WASHINGTON - The judge in the trial of Turkish banker Mehmet Hakan Atilla announced late Monday that a jury of 12, including six alternates, had been selected. Earlier U.S. District Judge Richard Berman said Turkish businessman Riza Sarraf would not face trial. Instead, Atilla, the deputy CEO of Turkey’s Halkbank, will be the only defendant, Berman told jurors in Manhattan. Berman added that opening arguments will begin Tuesday morning for a trial due to last three to four weeks.

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