Christopher A. Wray, who U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will nominate as head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), had links to Bank Asya through his position at the law firm King & Spalding, according to reports.
Wray moved to King & Spalding after working at the Justice Department under President George W. Bush from 2003 to 2005, Turkish daily Sözcü reported. While at the law firm, he was known as an expert on fraud and regulatory enforcement.
President Trump's surprise Twitter announcement read, "I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow."
While former FBI director James Comey is set to testify to a Senate panel on allegations of Russian interference in the U.S. election, Wray's link to now defunct Bank Asya has drawn attention in Turkey.
According to information on King & Spalding's website, the firm regards itself as "a leader in Islamic finance and investment."
King & Spalding advised Bank Asya on the issuance of $250 million in bonds for the international market in 2013, which served as the bank's entrance into the international financial scene.
Founded by the Gülen Movement in 1996, Bank Asya was seized by the Savings and Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) in May 2015 amid its deteriorating financial situation developed upon investigations due to its role in funding FETÖ-led companies and organizations. Its banking license was cancelled in July 2016 as the bank, put on sale by the TMSF, did not receive any offers.
