PROTECTIVE ORDER REINFORCES PROBABILITY OF ADDITIONAL DEFENDANTS IN THE REZA ZARRAB IRAN OIL SANCTIONS EVASION CASE

The District Judge has entered a Protective Order, in the Reza Zarrab case, directed to the defense attorneys representing the Turkish banker, Mehmet Atilla, which restricts them, and their staff, from disclosing sensitive information, contained tin Discovery which will be routinely furnished to defense counsel.

The started purpose of the order is to prevent information about pending investigations of other potential defendants, and there may be confidential informants, or undercover law enforcement agents in the field, that the Government must protect from exposure, and possible physical harm. Probable additional defendants could be Iranians and Malaysians who worked in the criminal oil-for-gold enterprise, lead by Zarrab, Alireza Monfared, and Babak Zanjani. Others could be the operators of the Dominica CBI and diplomatic passport programs, which sold citizenship to Iranians, and others, in Zarrab's organization. Still others could be bankers who assisted the group in obtaining dollars from US banks, and moving the money abroad, and they may not all be Turkish nationals.

Inasmuch as Atilla's attorneys have frankly advised the Court that they most likely will not be ready for a Fall 2017 trial, the addition of more defendants is probable. This is the biggest Iran sanctions evasions case currently pending in Federal Court, from my research, and the Department of Justice is pursuing it diligently. Whose else will be named ?