A Federal corrections official, Victor Casado, was charged with multiple counts, involving delivering contraband to Iran sanctions evader, Reza Zarrab, while he was incarcerated. Zarrab received contraband while in prison, inclding alcohol concealed in water botles, cellular telephones, food and non-prescription drugs, for which it is alleged Casado was paid $45,000 .
The corrections officer has been the subject of a Criminal Complaint, alleging:
(1) Bribery.
(2) Providing Contraband in prison.
(3) Conspiracy to Commit Honest Services Fraud.
(4) Honest Service Fraud.
A number of unidentified co-conspirators appear in the Complaint, including an attorney, and the attorney's driver. Considering the reputation of Zarrab's eminent criminal defense counsel, it is impossible that any of them would stoop to bribing a jailer to send contraband to a client in prison and they have denied any role in the crimes, nor even knowing about it.
One report, however, asserts that a "Turkish lawyer" who was assisting Zarrab in prison was involved in the corruption. This means that a foreign attorney, not admited to practice in Federal Court, and not part of the defense team, made the illicit payments. Unfortunately, the Complaint does not further identify him. It is not known whether Reza Zarrab implicated Victor Casado, or any of the other uncharged co-conspirators. For readers who require more details, the case number is 18-02826-UA (SDNY).
Zarrab is believed to be the Office of Special Counsel's major witness against former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn.
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