A book entitled “Web of Influence: Empire of Deceit Series, Book II” that thoroughly analyzes the Gülenist Terror Group’s (FETÖ) violations in U.S. charter schools has been recently released by the U.S.-based law firm Amsterdam & Partners.
The book offers a detailed examination of the cult’s misconduct and financial violations in the charter schools.
Robert Amsterdam, an international lawyer who provides assistance to Turkey regarding the investigation into FETÖ and author of the book, noted that the FETÖ-linked schools have utilized “sophisticated scams” to exploit over $1 billion in proceeds from U.S. public education
“This unchecked predatory activity represents not only a threat to the national security interests of Turkey but also causes extraordinary harm to US taxpayers and school children,” he said.
The book notes that even though FETÖ-linked schools have been subjected to countless FBI raids in recent years, they have not been held accountable for their misconduct.
Amsterdam argues that the “nefarious group” has successfully infiltrated local and state apparatus to minimize oversight. For instance, he pointed out FETÖ’s close relationship with former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, who has been recently indicted, the lobbying activities of NBA player Enes Kanter, as well as the employment of fugitive FETÖ imam Kemal Öksüz’s son by Rep. Henry Cuellar and their ties to former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson.
The author noted that education management organizations (EMOs) are the “lifeblood” of FETÖ’s charter scams, as he hailed the Biden administration’s new rules for the federal Charter School Program.
FETÖ-linked schools previously came under fire for irregularities in applications for H-1B visas, which allow U.S. employers to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations, and employing inexperienced Turkish teachers was cheaper than employing U.S. citizens.
The terrorist group has been making a huge amount of revenue from charter schools in the U.S.
FETÖ earns approximately $7,000 to $10,000 (TL 56,600 to TL 80,900) from each student, which corresponds to $750 million in total revenues from the charter schools. It operates over 218 charter schools that enroll about 80,000 students in 28 states.
Texas is the U.S. state harboring the largest number of FETÖ-linked charter schools. In the Lone Star State, as it is known, the Harmony Public Schools group is the largest FETÖ charter network. It is currently operating 57 schools, while an additional six schools are run under the name School of Science and Technology (SST).
These charter schools are used as a tool to siphon federal funds, namely the American taxpayers' money.
In 2013, The Washington Post reported that in testimony to a school board in Virginia, a former school teacher testified that FETÖ teachers "had to turn over 40% of their salaries to a secret fund used by the movement."
The colossal school network run by FETÖ around the world, from Central Asia to Africa and from Europe to America, is one of the primary businesses of the terrorist group.
FETÖ, led by Fetullah Gülen, is accused of masterminding the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, which was foiled by pro-democracy protestors as well as military and police forces loyal to the government.
Gülen has lived in self-imposed exile on a 400-acre property in the foothills of the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, U.S., since 1999.
Amsterdam's first book, which was published on Sept. 13, 2017, described how the schools are connected to a web of management, real estate and supply companies in a "closed-loop system." It also documented over $243 million worth of fraud by the group through its charter schools in the U.S.
