FBI Confirms Investigation Into Masal Cafe
An FBI spokesperson confirmed today that there is an ongoing investigation into Masal Cafe in Sheepshead Bay, but wouldn’t provide any other information.
We reported yesterday that the cafe was raided a week ago on Friday, October 28, and computers were removed from the restaurant. Reports also noted that the cafe owner, Selahattin Karakus, had his home raided as well. Karakus told Sheepshead Bites to talk to his lawyer when asked to comment.
There still remains a lot of speculation as to why the cafe is being thumbed by the FBI. Masal has ties to the controversial Turkish Hizmet movement, the secretive organization blamed for this summer’s coup attempt in the country and led by an Imam who lives in Pennsylvania, Fethullah Gülen. The group has a number of adherents in Sheepshead Bay, gathered around the Turkish Cultural Center at 2727 Coney Island Ave.
Hizmet’s organizational structure — and even its mission — are notoriously hard to pin down. Gülenists typically say they are “inspired” by him, rather than members of a formal group. The Turkish government views it as a terrorist group and has demanded Gülen’s extradition. Its adherents describe it as a harmless organization of small business people and others focused on moderate Islam and self-reliance.
Masal was linked to Hizmet in a 2014 BuzzFeed article about the Gülenist movement’s attempt to gain influence in American politics by donating to congressional candidates from all over the country. Karakus was mentioned in the article for donating to both Republican and Democratic candidates, but he couldn’t name a Republican candidate who was benefited by him.
Furthermore, he said he donates to candidates with pro-immigrant views, but he donated to a candidate in Texas who introduced a bill that would streamline the deportation of thousands of illegal immigrants, according to BuzzFeed.
It is still unclear what criminal elements there are in this case that would draw the attention of the FBI. A Senior Turkish official said the FBI has been conducting a number of investigations on money laundering allegations involving Turkish-American businessmen with links to Gülen. A Turkish diplomat confirmed that the FBI was informally interviewing some businessmen in Chicago due to their links with Gülen.
We will continue to dig to the bottom of this story, so stay tuned!
[Correction, November 4 5pm]: It was previously stated that the Turkish Cultural Center in Brighton Beach has ties to Gülen, but that is false. The TCC on Coney Island Avenue has ties to Gülen. Changes have been made to reflect this. We apologize for the error.