Amina Erdogan's Foundation Received Over $4 Million from Reza Zarrab

The U.S. Attorney's Office has accused Reza Zarrab, an Iranian-Turkish businessman, not only of violating U.S. sanctions but also of bribing Turkish officials by donating $4.65 million to a charity founded by Emine Erdogan, the wife of Turkey's president. Bloomberg reported on Thursday, June 6, following the U.S. Attorney's opposition to Zarrab's bail release, that another charge has been added to his case, indicating that he has been financially supporting Amina Erdogan's foundation since 2013. This non-profit organization, established in Istanbul, focuses on early diagnosis of disorders and education for children with mental disabilities, providing financial support to low-income families. However, the U.S. Attorney's Office noted in a document attached to Zarrab's case that his financial contributions to the First Lady's charity indicate a close relationship with the Turkish president. The document also states that Zarrab's connections with the highest-ranking officials in the Turkish government led to significant changes in the police and prosecutor's office two years ago, halting judicial investigations against him and some government officials accused of embezzlement. Zarrab was arrested in late autumn 2013 on charges of money laundering and financial corruption alongside several children of members of then-Prime Minister Erdogan's government. He remained in prison for only a few months, and ultimately the Turkish prosecutor's office closed the case. However, this time, the U.S. Attorney's Office issued an arrest warrant for Zarrab in Miami for violating U.S. sanctions against Iran and for hundreds of millions of dollars in banking transactions with Tehran. Last week, Zarrab's lawyers requested his release on a $50 million bond, which was denied by the U.S. Attorney's Office. In this context, Zarrab denied the U.S. allegations regarding the violation of Iran's sanctions.