Armenian police in cooperation with the Interpol, have detained a U.S. citizen of Turkish origin, who is accused of links to the Islamist Fethullah Gülen movement outlawed in Turkey, Posta newspaper reported on Thursday.
Kemal Öksüz, who changed his name to Kevin after acquiring U.S. citizenship, is claimed to be a member of the Gülen movement, which Turkey accuses of carrying out a coup attempt in 2016.
U.S. authorities declared on August 23 that Kemal (Kevin) Öksüz was internationally wanted on charges of fraud, including submitting false statements to the Ethics Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. Öksüz was arrested on August 29 in Armenia, where he has established a business.
According to U.S. authorities, Öksüz invited several members of the U.S. Congress to Turkey and Azerbaijan in 2013 and submitted falsified documents about the financial sources used for the trip. Öksüz is also accused of giving valuable gifts worth of thousands of dollars to the U.S. congressmen who participated in the visit.