Meng Wanzhou convinced HSBC that Iran dealings were ‘above board’, but she was ‘deceitful’, says Canadian filing
- Acting on behalf of the US, Canadian lawyers to argue that HSBC relied on a fraudulent pledge that Huawei had severed its relationship with an Iranian supplier
- Huawei CFO is fighting extradition to the United States, which had sanctions in place against business dealings with Iran
An HSBC banker concluded that Huawei’s business dealings in Iran were “above board” after a meeting with company CFO Meng Wanzhou, whose representations turned out to be “deceitful” and put the bank at risk, a Canadian government lawyer said in court submissions released on Friday.
The revelation will be included in evidence to be presented by Canadian lawyers on behalf of the US government that Meng – whose extradition case began in the British Columbia Supreme Court in January – deceived Huawei creditor HSBC.
“Everything appears to be above board,” the senior HSBC employee said in an email to other high-ranking personnel, who were weighing whether to retain Huawei as a client after reports in 2012 and 2013 that it controlled an Iranian firm that was allegedly violating US sanctions against Iran at the time.
“Huawei [has stated that it] complies with all laws and sanctions … I am pretty much reassured,” the banker said, according to the court documents.
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Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou’s extradition hearings begin
As well as testimony from former and current Huawei staff in Iran and HSBC employees, the lawyers are relying on claims made by FBI agents who have investigated Huawei’s relationship with an Iranian firm that sold US products to an Iranian-government-owned telecommunications equipment maker.
The lawyers will argue that HSBC relied on fraudulent assurances by Meng that Huawei had severed its relationship with Iranian supplier Skycom in 2009.