NEW YORK: Prosecutors say former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and an ex-U.S. attorney general met with Turkey's president to seek a "critical" role in resolving charges that a Turkish man helped Iran evade U.S. sanctions, even as Giuliani's law firm represents Turkey in other matters.
The government made the accusation in papers filed Friday with a Manhattan federal court judge. They said they found it "curious" that Giuliani and former Attorney General Michael Mukasey (myoo-KAY'-zee) hope to negotiate a disposition of criminal charges against businessman Reza Zarrab without engaging prosecutors. They said the men tried to meet U.S. officials, as well.
Prosecutors urged a judge presiding over Zarrab's case to seek conflicts of interest, particularly because Giuliani's law firm was hired by Turkey to help strengthen the Turkish-American relationship.