RELIGION

Lawyer for Turkey refers Ohio charter schools to auditor

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Robert Amsterdam, an attorney for the Turkish government, discusses a complaint filed Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio, asking the state auditor to investigate allegations of wrongdoing against 17 Ohio charter schools his firm believes are tied to the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, a political foe of Turkish President Recep Erdogan. (AP Photo/Julie Carr Smyth) (The Associated Press)

Robert Amsterdam, an attorney for the Turkish government, discusses a complaint filed Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016, in Columbus, Ohio, asking the state auditor to investigate allegations of wrongdoing against 17 Ohio charter schools his firm believes are tied to the Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, a political foe of Turkish President Recep Erdogan. (AP Photo/Julie Carr Smyth) (The Associated Press)

A lawyer for the Turkish government hired to investigate publicly funded U.S. charter schools started by the followers of a reclusive Muslim cleric living in Pennsylvania is filing a formal complaint with Ohio's auditor.

Attorney Robert Amsterdam announced the complaint Tuesday, alleging that a network of Ohio charter schools has engaged in improper relationships with its management company and landlord, with their business subsidiaries and with each other.

The complaint also asserts that Horizon Science Academies and Noble Academies have ties to Fethullah Gulen (feh-TOO'-lah goo-LEHN'), a political foe of Turkish President Recep Erdogan (REH'-jehp UR'-doh-wahn).

A message seeking comment from the Chicago-based Concept Schools, which manage the Horizon and Noble academies, was not immediately returned.