Reports of Reza Zarrab's Possible Cooperation with U.S. Prosecutors in the Michael Flynn Case

At least two U.S. news outlets reported on Thursday, November 16, that Reza Zarrab may be cooperating with U.S. prosecutors in the case of Michael Flynn, a former advisor to Trump. Zarrab is imprisoned in the U.S. on charges related to violations of Iran sanctions. Recently, reports emerged suggesting that a proposal from the Turkish government to Michael Flynn involved actions to extradite Fethullah Gülen from the U.S. to Turkey in exchange for $15 million. Allegedly, this 'bribe' was to be transferred to Flynn's account through Zarrab. Concurrently, reports of Zarrab's unknown whereabouts and his absence from court have led some sources to speculate about his potential cooperation with U.S. prosecutors. NBC reported that Zarrab is no longer in the prison where he had been held since last year and is 'in the custody of prosecutors at an unknown location.' Bloomberg also reported that Zarrab is 'in custody but not in federal prison,' which sometimes occurs when a defendant agrees to cooperate as a witness with the government. Reuters reported that the judge overseeing Zarrab's case declined to answer whether he would be tried this month. U.S. prosecutors have accused Zarrab, an Iranian born and Turkish citizen, of helping the Iranian government and institutions move hundreds of millions of dollars to evade sanctions between 2010 and 2015. Nine individuals have been charged in this case, but only Zarrab and Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a manager at Turkey's Halkbank, are currently detained in the U.S. The trial is set to begin on November 27, just ten days away. However, Zarrab has not attended any court sessions since September, over two months ago, and the judge has refrained from answering questions from the other defendant's lawyer regarding this matter. According to Reuters, this has fueled speculation in Turkish media that Zarrab has 'reached an agreement' with U.S. officials. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons reported last week that Zarrab had not been in custody since November 8, but U.S. prosecutors emphasized that this information was incorrect and that he remains detained. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, it was reported that the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a diplomatic note to Washington requesting clarification on Zarrab's status and information regarding any transfers between prisons in the U.S. The Turkish government, led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has repeatedly accused Gülen, a Turkish cleric residing in the U.S., of orchestrating the military coup attempt in Turkey a year and a half ago and other actions to undermine Ankara's sovereignty. General Flynn briefly served as National Security Advisor at the beginning of Trump's presidency but was dismissed by the President.