US Supreme Court rejects challenge by Turkey’s Halkbank to prosecution
The state-owned Turkish bank is accused of helping Iran evade US sanctions, which has caused diplomatic tensions between the US and Turkey
The US Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear another bid by Turkey’s state-owned lender Halkbank to avoid fraud, money laundering and conspiracy charges in the United States for allegedly helping Iran evade American economic sanctions.
The Supreme Court in 2023 threw out a previous decision by the same lower court that had permitted the case to move forward but at that time rejected a key defence mounted by the bank.
Brought by US federal prosecutors in 2019, the case has been a thorn in US-Turkey relations, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan calling it an “unlawful, ugly” step. Halkbank has pleaded not guilty.
The Supreme Court decision not to hear Halkbank’s appeal clears the way for a possible trial unless both sides settle.
In a statement, Halkbank said it would continue asserting all its legal rights.