Infamous Kemal Oksuz walks out of U.S. federal courthouse a free man after 'laughably' mild sentence

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. Kemal (Kevin) Oksuz, a former Houston-based Turkish-American lobbyist and businessman convicted of lying to the U.S. Congress about Azerbaijan's role in funding a trip for 10 American lawmakers, and who was later arrested in Armenia, walked out of a federal courthouse Monday a free man.

District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of the US District Court for the District of Columbia delivered the rather mild sentence February 11.

The court credited the 49-year-old with the three months he spent in an Armenian jail last year, plus another week that he was detained upon his return to the U.S. He was arrested in Yerevan on an international arrest warrant and was later extradited to the United States.

He will serve two years of probation and pay a $20,000 fine. The Justice Department, however, sought one year imprisonment – the maximum possible under federal sentencing guidelines.

"Your honor, standing here is a great shame on me," Oksuz said in court February 11 as quoted by the Houston Chronicle.

"I feel embarrassed," he continued, chocking back emotion. "It is not easy for me. I am going through hard times... I take full responsibility for my unlawful conduct. I apologize. I am sorry for all the mess I have caused."

In turn, the Armenian National Committee of America lambasted the mild sentence.

“This laughably light sentence sends the wrong message to foreign powers intent on interfering in our American political process,” commented ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

“We are, nonetheless, gratified to have played a role in bringing this scandal to light through our successful campaign for the release of a long suppressed Congressional Ethics Office report on Oksuz’s criminal conduct.”

Earlier in December 2018, Armenian authorities said they have extradited Oksuz to the United States.

Judge Chutkan called the sentencing a "difficult decision."

She said she recognized the government's position that lying to Congress undermines Democracy and the rule of law and that the sentence needs to provide a deterrent.

"Though it is a 'paper crime,' it is still a serious offense," she said, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Palmieri, seeking a full year prison sentence, added that "it was orchestrated, it was deliberate, and it was premeditated."

According to Oksuz, fearing that lawmakers would not take the trip if they knew the true source of the funding, he decided to keep that from them. The trip was funded by SOCAR – the Azerbaijani state owned oil company.

Justice Department lawyers rejected that narrative, pointing out that the trip's long paper trail led directly to the Azeri state oil company. "There is clear evidence that SOCAR was driving this," Palmieri said. "As for what the motive was, it's not for the government to speculate."

Prosecutors also raised questions about Oksuz's more recent work with Arlington Strategic Supplies and Manufacturing, a New York company reportedly involved in international arms sales, including guns and rocket or grenade launchers.

“This is quite a leap," Chutkan said. "I have nothing but speculation. I can't take that into consideration."

Prosecutors also asked Chutkan to take into account his efforts to evade investigators and minimize his crime.

However, the judge delivered the seemingly light sentence, and Oksuz walked out of court a free man.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan