Turkey allegedly pressuring fraud case

ANKARA, Turkey, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- The Turkish government has been placing undue pressure on an ongoing charity fraud case in Germany, prosecutors have alleged.

Prosecutors in the Deniz Feneri charity case allege that members of the Turkish government pushed for the release of the fraud suspects, who are suspected of having ties to the Justice and Development Party in Turkey, Hurriyet reported Friday.

The German charity has been targeted by prosecutors for allegedly conducting illegal financial transactions with Turkish groups.

Members of the charity group have been accused of money laundering and fraud.

Suspects Firdevsi Ermis and Mehmet Taskan have both alleged that the illegal actions were aided by top political officials in Turkey, including Radio and Television Supreme Council Chairman Zahid Akman.

While Akman has rejected the allegations, he was banned in 2007 from traveling to Germany for five years on financial crime claims, Hurriyet reported.