An investigation was launched by the Silifke Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in line with the reports and evidence obtained against some public officials in Silifke Municipality and the suspects considered to be in contact with these people. Within the scope of the investigation; Allegations that there were irregularities in some tenders, direct procurement, festivals, organizations, advertisements, printing houses, vehicle rentals, food, beverages, food and agricultural material purchases made within the municipality, that unfair benefits were claimed from citizens in municipal development transactions, and that some money movements were carried out through municipal activities and related structures were investigated.

OPERATION ON SUSPECTS

In the investigation carried out; Witness and suspect statements, HTS and PTS records, bank account movements, technical investigations, relevant institution records and other evidence were evaluated together. In line with the findings, 19 people, including Silifke Mayor Mustafa Turgut, municipal administrators, municipal staff and some company officials who had business relations with the municipality, were detained in the operation held on June 19.

19 suspects, including the Mayor of Silifke, are in the courthouse | Video

The suspects, whose procedures at the gendarmerie were completed, were sent to the courthouse this morning.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that 38 of the suspects who were detained in the operations carried out against the crime of ‘illegal betting’ in 16 provinces centered in Kahramanmaraş by the Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime teams of the Gendarmerie General Command were arrested, and a judicial control order was imposed on 4 suspects.

In the post made on the social media account of the Ministry, “42 suspects with money movement of 114 million liras were caught in the operations carried out by our gendarmerie against the crime of ‘illegal betting’ in 16 provinces centered in Kahramanmaraş. 38 of the suspects were arrested. Judicial control provisions were implemented for 4 of them. Under the coordination of Gendarmerie General Command KOM and Cyber Crimes Department Heads, MASAK and Afşin Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office; based in Kahramanmaraş “It was determined that the suspects caught during the operations carried out in 16 provinces were placing illegal bets on websites and intermediating the money transfer of the proceeds obtained from this crime. We continue our fight against crime and criminals with determination, with the determined struggle of our security forces and the support of our beloved nation. We congratulate our heroic Gendarmerie, Department Heads, MASAK, Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and those who contributed.”

The investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Terrorism Financing and Laundering Crimes Investigation Bureau, in line with the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) audit report and the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) reports, on the allegation of money laundering through PAPEL Electronic Money and Payment Services Inc. has been completed.

In the indictment prepared as a result of the investigation, the suspects for whom an arrest warrant was issued, Seyhan İbrahim Yıldırım, Ferit Samuray, Asil Ersoydan, Ahmet Avar and Erol Albayrak were listed as “organization managers” and 39 suspects were listed as “organization members”.

In the MASAK report included in the indictment, it was noted that there were many suspicious transactions regarding Papel and its sub-dealers, such as illegal betting, misuse of POS devices, suspicious money transfers, and that high amounts and amounts of transfers were made to Papel from various people, and that these actions mediated illegal betting transactions.

In the report, it was stated that there was no information about the personal and commercial backgrounds of the workplaces that used virtual POS as sub-member businesses by Papel, and that these companies, founded by people who did not have financial power or capital accumulation, made transactions in short intervals and in high amounts in a day, which is not seen in normal commercial life, but the company did not actually engage in commercial activities.

In the report, it was stated that the transactions carried out by various people from the company account were not compatible with the profile of the people who carried out the transaction, and therefore, it was reported that real/legal persons who were determined to be intermediaries in illegal betting transactions were transferred with Papel.

DESPITE CONTINUOUS DECLARATION OF LOSSES, IT CONTINUED ITS CAPITAL INCREASES

In the report, it was stated that Papel has been financed by its sole partner Seyhan İbrahim Yıldırım since its establishment, but that the financing in question was based on significantly high amounts of cash deposits, and that the economic and commercial nature of cash resources could not be explained in the report, that the company continued to increase capital despite low sales and constant loss declaration, and that purchases of goods/services were high compared to sales.

In the report, which noted that there was a lot of intelligence information about Papel and its sub-dealers regarding intermediation in illegal betting transfers, misuse of POS devices and suspicious money movements, it was also evaluated that third parties may be acting as the real beneficiaries behind the apparent partnership structure of the company, due to the connections of Asil Ersoydan and Ferit Samuray.

In the report, the approximate transaction volume of money transfers reached 1.5 billion liras, and as a result of the investigations made through VEDOP and GİB records regarding the “capital, receivables, sales and profit (loss)” in Papel’s balance sheets and income statements, the company was established in 2020 and received an operating permit from the CBRT on October 27, 2022, and its capital was committed as 7 million liras in its first establishment, It was noted that with the first increase in 2021, the capital will be 10 million lira, with an increase in 2022 it will be 50 million lira, in 2023 it will be 150 million lira, and in 2024 the capital will be 300 million lira.

Considering the fact that net sales were low, especially between 2020 and 2024, and the company’s constant declaration of loss, the indictment stated that the continuous capital increase was remarkable, based on the examinations made on the income statement, and it was stated that there was a lot of intelligence information about Papel and its sub-dealers, with suspicions such as illegal betting, misuse of POS devices, suspicious money transfers.

In the indictment, it was emphasized that, according to the summary of this intelligence information, Papel may have been under the control of illegal betting and gambling gangs.

IN THE EXTERNAL AUDIT REPORT OF THE CBRT, APPROXIMATELY 44 THOUSAND CUSTOMERS WERE DETECTED IN CONNECTION WITH ILLEGAL BETTING

In the indictment, which also includes the CBRT’s external audit report, “It has been determined that the most striking part of the transaction volume of the organization (Papel) is wallet-to-wallet transfer transactions. It has been stated that during the review period, approximately 55 percent of the total wallet transaction volume consists of wallet-to-wallet transfers, 22 percent consists of loading from the bank, 16 percent transfers to the bank and 6 percent consists of transfers to IBAN.” The expression was used.

In the report, many different customers carried out transactions over the same IP and IP blocks, there were 31 thousand 115 users who received wallet-to-wallet transfers with high amounts despite low bank loading volume, 43 thousand 488 different customers were identified in connection with 238 accounts reported by TÖDEB (Turkish Payment and Electronic Money Institutions Association) related to illegal betting, 127 of the 337 central customers who had relations with at least 25 illegal betting-related customers were active, As a result of the network analysis, it was noted that 1777 active high-risk customers were identified.

The report stated that although these were previously caught by Papel’s Fraud rules, no action was taken, and that these data show that transaction flows at Papel do not consist of individual customer movements, but are organized and systematic transaction patterns that strengthen the possibility of collecting, distributing, circulating and transferring funds resulting from illegal betting and similar high-risk activities to the financial system through electronic money accounts.

In the report, it was noted that during the examination of the computers used within Papel, digital findings related to illegal betting were found, and the most striking element in these examinations was the widespread and systematic use of “random” transactions through customer accounts.

ILLEGAL BETTING CONVERSATIONS WERE FOUND IN THE CORRESPONDENCES OF PAPEL EMPLOYEES

In the indictment, it is stated that there are records, images, e-mails, social media posts, customer statements and transaction descriptions regarding the illegal betting connection, including many betting/gambling platforms, including at least 14 illegal betting sites. “It has been understood that Papel is shown as a direct payment/investment method in some social media images, special bonuses and promotions are offered to those who invest with Papel, and users are encouraged to deposit money to betting sites via Papel.” evaluation was made.

In the indictment, it is stated that there were expressions such as “I deposited a large amount of money and I cannot bet”, “I was depositing on ****bet”, “**bet deposit”, “mobile betting”, “We offer all kinds of bets, brother” in the customer correspondence, some accounts were considered as rental accounts, there were personnel correspondence such as “Collecting rental accounts and using them in bets”, users gave their account passwords to betting sites, there were high volume money movements in some accounts and the amounts were transferred out of the system in a short time. It was emphasized that it was determined.

CRIMINAL REQUESTS

In the indictment, the suspects, Seyhan İbrahim Yıldırım, Ferit Samuray, Asil Ersoydan, Ahmet Avar and Erol Albayrak, for whom an arrest warrant was issued, were asked to be sentenced to imprisonment from 12 to 27 years each for the crimes of “taking their assets abroad”, “advertising and otherwise encouraging people to play fixed odds or joint betting or games of chance based on sports competitions” and “establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime”.

The other 39 suspects were requested to be sentenced to imprisonment from 9 to 22 years each for the crimes of “being a member of an organization established for the purpose of committing crimes”, “taking their assets abroad”, “advertising and otherwise encouraging people to play fixed odds or joint betting or games of chance based on sports competitions”.

The prepared indictment was sent to the criminal court of first instance for evaluation.

Deputy Mayor Şerife Yörükçü was also detained within the scope of the investigation carried out against Silifke Municipality in Mersin for various crimes such as “bribery”, “tender rigging” and “extortion”. An investigation was launched against some public officials in Silifke Municipality and the suspects who were considered to be in contact with these people, in line with the reports and evidence obtained. In the operation held on June 19, 18 people, including Mayor Mustafa Turgut and Deputy Mayor Ezgi Erdağ Demirtaş, Municipality Private Secretary ES, Municipality Property Manager EG, Municipality Development Manager Ş.SD, municipality employees and Silifke Municipality Sports Club managers, were detained, but the suspect EFK could not be reached. In the investigation carried out by the Silifke Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, a detention order was also issued for Deputy Mayor Şerife Yörükçü. Yörükçü was detained yesterday and taken to the District Gendarmerie Command. The investigation into the incident continues.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of the site manager in a site in Mersin, within the scope of the investigation into why a hijab-wearing woman was not allowed into the pool area.

HE COULD NOT PASS THROUGH THE TURNSTILE
The incident took place on June 16 at Zafer Sitesi in Mezitli district of Mersin. When Ayşegül T. (35) tried to go to the pool area to look after her son, she was not allowed through the turnstile by the pool attendant “on the grounds that her attire was not appropriate”. Ayşegül T., who was learned to live in Istanbul and came to her relatives for vacation, complained about the site management. Site and pool attendant Baran D. was detained within the scope of the investigation initiated by the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office for the crime of ‘inciting the public to hatred and hostility and humiliating’. Considering that the action fell within the scope of the crime of “preventing the exercise of freedom of belief, thought and opinion”, site officer Baran D. was referred to the Criminal Court of Peace with a request for his arrest. The judge decided to impose judicial control measures. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Mehmet G., the site manager abroad. –

CHP Ankara Provincial Chairman Fahri Yıldırım, who was appointed by the CHP Headquarters for a short time, made a statement to SABAH.

FOR PERCEPTION OPERATION
Noting that the troll army, which was stated to have been established by Manisa Deputy Özgür Özel and his staff, was investigated, Yıldırım said, “Ali Haydar Fırat Bey stated that 34 thousand troll accounts from the previous period were detected, 3 thousand 400 of which were affiliated with FETO. Our deputy chairmen are conducting a very detailed investigation about the troll accounts, and our party will provide the necessary information in the coming days.

Through troll accounts, an extraordinary effort was made to change the perception in society and isolate Mr. Kemal. We know that these troll accounts are also used by foreign intelligence channels. We know that they are trying to weaken the party and alienate Kemal Bey. Almost all of the troll accounts operate abroad in exchange for money. Their accounts are not real. You examine it, it comes from South America, Afghanistan and Pakistan. “We are faced with a shameful situation,” he said.

PROVINCIAL HEADLINES ARE UNDER OCCUPATION
Stating that following the dismissal decisions against the provincial heads, the provincial headquarters building has still not been delivered in Ankara, as in other provinces, Yıldırım said, “Our provincial headquarters are currently under de facto occupation. Our dismissed friends must hand over the buildings to the newly appointed names in accordance with the statute, but they are actually occupying them. We have now received the bank accounts and cars of our provincial headquarters. I think they will leave the building this week, too. We do not plan to enter the provincial building with the police.”