The trial date for Dilan and Engin Polat has been set

Dilan Polat and Engin Polat, a couple who frequently made headlines with their luxurious lifestyle and whose source of income was a subject of curiosity, were arrested and sent to prison on charges of money laundering, tax evasion, and forming a criminal organization.

The date for when the Polat couple, whose judicial process is ongoing, will appear before the judge has been set.

FIRST HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 4

Following the acceptance of the 75-page indictment prepared by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Bureau of Investigation for Terrorism and Organized Crimes against 28 defendants, the Anatolian 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance prepared the preliminary procedural document.

The court decided that the first hearing of the case will be held on September 4. The hearings will continue on September 5 and 6.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

In operations conducted in Istanbul and 5 other provinces starting on November 1, 2023, 24 suspects, including Dilan Polat and her husband Engin Polat, were detained.

A preliminary investigation report was prepared by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) regarding the suspects, including the Polat couple, whose digital materials and ledgers were seized during previous searches of their companies. The report determined that 200 million lira had entered the accounts of companies belonging to family members from 3 companies in liquidation through the method of issuing fake invoices for sham trade.

After it was determined that the money was transferred between companies also owned by family members and finally collected in a firm named Milda Gayrimenkul, owned by Engin Polat, to purchase real estate and numerous vehicles, the Istanbul Financial Crimes Investigation Bureau teams identified the suspects and conducted simultaneous operations at 43 addresses in Istanbul, Ankara, Yalova, Ordu, Kırklareli, and Manisa.

Continuing their work within the scope of the investigation, the teams determined that a medical company belonging to Dilan and Engin Polat had granted naming rights to another firm in Ankara, and that 1 million 800 thousand lira in that firm's account was being attempted to be transferred to the personal accounts of the partners.

16 of the suspects, including Dilan Polat, Engin Polat, and Sıla Doğu, were arrested. The court had ordered the appointment of trustees to 27 companies.

In the monthly detention review on June 14, the Criminal Court of Peace ordered the release of Dilan Polat's siblings Can and Sinem Sıla Doğu, as well as Can Polat, Gökay Bekar, Halit Polat, Harun Abak, Metin Yılmaz, Mustafa Özalp, Nilgün Yılmaz, Uğurcan Ayyıldız, and Zekai Tepe under judicial control measures, while deciding to continue the detention of the other 5 suspects.

THEY FACE UP TO 40 YEARS IN PRISON

The indictment prepared by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office upon the completion of the investigation states that money obtained through illegal means was transferred using the "cold wallet method" without entering the system and was subjected to laundering. It is assessed that during these activities, the organization also engaged in some real commercial activities thanks to the fame and recognition they achieved in a short time, thereby attempting to make tracking and control—the most prominent aspects of money laundering crimes—more difficult.

The indictment explains that the money coming from illegal betting, which is proven by evidence, was attempted to be masked, and that multiple companies were established to create the image that the enrichment stemmed from real trade. It is stated that during the operations of these companies, fake invoices were issued and used for non-existent business and transactions, and secret external records were kept in addition to the legally required ledgers.

The indictment also requests the confiscation and transfer to the public of all assets, including real estate, vehicles, and similar properties, belonging to the 31 companies included in the investigation.

In the indictment, which requests that Dilan and Engin Polat be sentenced to a total of 20 to 40 years in prison each for the crimes of "establishing and managing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes," "laundering assets derived from crime," and "violating the Law on the Regulation of Betting and Games of Chance in Football and Other Sports Competitions," it is foreseen that the other suspects will also be sentenced to prison for varying durations for different crimes.

The indictment, approved by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, had been returned by the Anatolian 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, to which it was sent, on the grounds that the High Criminal Court was the authorized court to conduct the trial.

The objection made by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, emphasizing that "the competent court can be determined according to the base penalty and that the enhancement clause is not the basis for determining the court's jurisdiction," was accepted by the Anatolian 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.

News Source: AA