By Canadian Press

U.S. using fraud allegations to dress up sanctions complaint: Meng’s defence

Nov 28, 2019 | 5:59 PM

VANCOUVER — Lawyers for Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou say the United States is “dressing up” its complaint that she violated sanctions as a case of fraud and have asked the B.C. Supreme Court to decline her extradition.

Meng is free on bail and living in one of her homes in Vancouver while awaiting an extradition hearing following her arrest last December at the request of the United States.

She is accused of lying about Huawei’s relationship with its Iran-based affiliate Skycom to one of its bankers, HSBC, but she denies any wrongdoing and the allegations have not been tested in court. 

In court documents released Thursday, Meng’s legal team says the alleged misrepresentation does not amount to fraud and the transactions processed by HSBC were not illegal in Canada.

The defence says the case is really about the United States seeking to enforce its Iranian sanctions laws against Meng for conduct that took place outside both the United States and Canada.

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The attorney general of Canada has not yet filed its written arguments, but in May Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley called the focus on sanctions a “complete red herring” and said the allegations against Meng centre on the alleged misrepresentation that put the bank’s economic interests at risk.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 28, 2019.

The Canadian Press