Halkbank has pleaded not guilty to bank fraud, money laundering and conspiracy over its alleged use of money servicers and front companies in Iran, Turkiye and the United Arab Emirates to evade sanctions.
Ermut comes with a wealth of experience after serving as head of Turkey's Investment Office, as board member of TWF and Turkish Airlines, and as former head of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies.
With a German politician raising questions about its functioning, the foundation sees itself in the crosshairs of a slanderous campaign.
The timing of the charges against Turkey’s state-run bank brings the unilateral US sanctions regime under spotlight.
Halkbank, Turkey’s second-largest state bank, said it did not engage in sanctions violations as alleged and falls outside of the US Justice Department’s jurisdiction since it has no branches or employees in the US.
Mehmet Hakan Atilla, 48, the former deputy director general at Turkish state lender Halkbank, was released from prison in US last week after more than a year jail term over violation of US sanctions on Iran.
The former deputy director-general at state-lender Halkbank was sentenced to 32 months in prison for violating US sanctions on Iran. Ankara has repeatedly criticised his conviction, calling it "politically motivated."
The New York prosecutor's office had been asked by the court to present details of its appeal by December 6 but the appeal to extend Hakan Atilla's sentence had later been withdrawn meaning he will serve no longer than 32 months in prison.
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a pro-zionist think tank, recently hosted an event where a terror suspect who escaped trial in Turkey was praised.
As relations between Turkey and the US reach new lows, Turkey is developing policies to counter financial speculation.
Debit cards issued by the Turkish Red Crescent have eased the plight of Syrian refugees and the organisation is hoping that its debit card system will be expanded not only in Turkey, but to other parts of the world.
A US judge sentenced Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a Turkish banker at Turkey’s Halkbank, to 32 months in prison on Wednesday after he was found guilty of taking part in a scheme to help Iran evade US sanctions.
Subscribe to our Youtube channel for all latest in-depth, on the ground reporting from around the world.
Copyright © 2022 TRT World.