A US-based operative tied to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamist government and allegedly linked to Turkish intelligence has been convicted on trafficking charges and sentenced to federal prison.
Israfil Demir, the former deputy chair of the Turkish American National Steering Committee (TASC) — an organization that promotes the policies of the Erdogan’s government in the US and seeks to shape American policymaking — was sentenced on October 23, 2024, by US District Judge Georgette Castner in New Jersey to serve 364 days in federal prison.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, 39-year-old Israfil Demir is currently incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, under inmate number 47287-509. He is scheduled for release on November 29, 2025. Following his release, Demir will serve three years of probation with special conditions.
On May 26, 2021, Demir was charged in a criminal complaint filed by US Attorney Philip R. Sellinger of the District of New Jersey, resulting in his arrest. As part of the investigation, federal agents executed search warrants at Demir’s residence and business premises, uncovering a large quantity of counterfeit computer networking equipment. Among the seized items were 7,260 counterfeit Cisco transceivers, with a total manufacturer’s suggested retail value of approximately $13.77 million.
Israfil Demir has been sentenced in connection with his conviction. He was charged for his involvement in trafficking counterfeit goods and his sentencing follows a negotiated guilty plea:
Undeterred by the CBP seizures, Demir continued to expand his criminal enterprise. To evade detection, he employed multiple fake identities and utilized various delivery addresses, including, on one occasion, using his wife’s name as the recipient of an import from China. The primary storage facility for the counterfeit goods was a warehouse located in New Jersey.
Demir, along with his associates Musa Karaman and Sadri Özturan, falsely marketed the counterfeit Cisco products as authentic and brand-new. In reality, these devices were sourced from international suppliers at prices far below market rates. Their fraudulent operations involved using fictitious names on customs documents, fabricating invoices to appear as if issued by a legitimate US distributor and conspiring on strategies to evade detection by US authorities. Through these deceptive practices, they generated substantial profits from their illicit scheme.
Demir’s deception, fraud and conspiracy were ultimately uncovered through the collaborative efforts of the US Department of Justice, the US Department of Homeland Security, US Customs and Border Protection, and the US Department of Defense.
Demir’s conviction resulted from a plea bargain in which he admitted to participating in a conspiracy to traffic counterfeit computer networking devices. Had he opted for a jury trial, he could have faced up to 10 years in prison and potentially additional charges, such as wire fraud, if he had contested the criminal complaint. Fearing a lengthy sentence, Demir chose to negotiate a deal and pleaded guilty to a single charge of trafficking.
Demir’s three-year term of supervised release comes with special conditions, including compliance with directives from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Demir had sought a green card or residency in the US, using his fraudulent business as the basis to support his application. It remains unclear what will happen to his application or whether he will face deportation after his release. However, the court has ordered him to cooperate closely with ICE moving forward.
The plea agreement forwarded by the US District Attorney’s Office in New Jersey pertaining to criminal charges involving Israfil Demir:
The court also imposed several special conditions on Demir, including full financial disclosure to his probation officer, a prohibition on opening any business or personal bank accounts and a restriction on seeking new credit lines unless explicitly authorized by the probation officer. In addition to these special conditions, the standard terms of supervision will apply, such as obtaining permission before leaving the court’s jurisdiction, being subject to unannounced visits by his probation officer and refraining from engaging with individuals involved in criminal activity.
Demir’s network of connections to the Erdogan government appears to be complex and multi-faceted. He previously served as the leader of the youth branch of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in the US, where he actively managed election campaigns for Erdogan and his party among the Turkish diaspora. Furthermore, from January 2019 to February 2020, Demir held the position of head of the youth branch of the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association, an Islamist business group known for its unwavering support of the Erdogan government.
Until his surrender to federal prison, Demir continued to maintain ties with the Erdogan government. On July 15, 2024, he was part of the TASC advocacy group that was warmly received by President Erdogan.
At a September 2024 event organized in the US by TASC, Demir was seated next to Zafer Sırakaya, the former president of the Union of International Democrats (UID) — a key overseas extension of the Erdogan government — and the current deputy chairman of the ruling AKP, responsible for managing the party’s external relations. During the event, Demir even delivered a speech in which he welcomed the AKP official.
The UID, headquartered in Germany, officially registered its newly established American affiliate, UID LLC, as a foreign lobbyist under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) in August 2024. However, the group’s lobbying activities had been underway long before this formal registration. There is no record of Demir registering himself as a lobbyist for the Erdogan government as required under FARA.
Demir’s Facebook profile features pictures with several high-ranking Turkish officials, including İbrahim Kalın, the head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT), and Hakan Fidan, Turkey’s foreign minister and former MIT chief. He has also maintained close connections with officials at the Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C., as well as the consulate in New York.
