AP � A New York jury deliberating the fate of a Turkish banker charged with helping Iran evade U.S. sanctions is off until after the holidays.

Federal court jurors in Manhattan finished a third day of discussions Friday in the trial of Halkbank executive Mehmet Hakan Atilla and were told to return Jan. 3.

Prosecutors say Atilla was the architect of a conspiracy that enabled Iran to begin evading U.S. economic sanctions in 2011. Atilla�s lawyer says he was a humble civil servant at the state-owned bank, one of Turkey�s largest.

Turkish officials including the country�s president have criticized the prosecution and said testimony was coerced, an allegation the U.S. calls �ridiculous.�

The government�s star witness was a wealthy gold trader married to a pop star.

Jurors have requested evidence and read-backs of testimony.