Italian prosecutors drop case against Erdoğan’s son

BOLOGNA - Reuters

Italian prosecutors have dropped a money laundering case against the son of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, their office said on Sept. 21.

The decision, which has yet to be confirmed by a senior judge - usually a formality - came six weeks after Erdoğan complained in a television interview that his son Bilal was being abused by the Italian justice system. 

"Italy should be attending to the mafia, not my son," Erdoğan said, adding that it could "cause problems for our relationship with Italy" if his son returned to the country and was arrested. 

The allegation that Bilal Erdoğan, 35, was involved in money laundering while studying in Italy last year was first made by Murat Hakan Uzan, an exiled member of one of Turkey's richest families and an opponent of the president. 

Prosecutors had been looking into sums of money allegedly brought to Italy from Turkey while he was studying for a doctorate degree. 

Bilal Erdoğan, who has since returned to Turkey, had denied all charges as completely unfounded.