What's behind arrest of Turkish-Azeri billionaire?
Although Azeri-Turkish billionaire Mubariz Mansimov Gurbanoglu was cleared of links to the Gulen movement, he's been arrested again this week.
As Turkey grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, the March 17 arrest of Azeri-Turkish billionaire Mubariz Mansimov Gurbanoglu failed to draw the attention it deserves. Gurbanoglu was arrested on terrorism charges, part of what he alleges is a web of collusion between global energy giants and Turkish prosecutors.
Gurbanoglu, 52, was a former ally and alleged business partner of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s family. He is accused of operating on behalf of the Sunni cleric Fethullah Gulen. The high-flying Gurbanoglu, who owns one of the world’s largest fleets of oil tankers, is being held in Istanbul’s Silivri Prison and has yet to be indicted.
