Defense presented in 'Fatih Terim Fund' case: Striking details in Seçil Erzan's testimony!

The fraud case involving former Denizbank branch manager Seçil Erzan, who is accused of collecting money from many people in the sports and business worlds under the name of the 'Fatih Terim Fund' with promises of high returns, remains at the center of Turkey's agenda.

Seçil Erzan, who faces up to 252 years in prison for the crimes of 'qualified fraud' and 'forgery of private documents', appeared in court today.

Following a 13-hour hearing in the fraud case publicly known as the "high-yield secret fund," the court panel announced its interim decision, ruling that the detained defendants remain in custody and adjourning the hearing to January 15.

COURTROOM CHANGED

The case, which was set to begin at the 41st High Criminal Court, will be heard in the 14th High Criminal Court's courtroom because the original one was too small.

During the hearing, 7 people, including footballers Selçuk İnan, Emre Belözoğlu, and Arda Turan, will be heard as complainants, and 11 people will be heard as witnesses. Both Seçil Erzan and the complainants and witnesses will be questioned about the correspondence recovered from the broken phone.

According to the report by Müslim Sarıyar from 12punto, former footballer Semih Kaya, Fatih Terim's daughter Buse Terim, and Volkan Bahçekapılı arrived at the courthouse to testify as witnesses in the case.

Buse Terim Bahçekapılı's husband Volkan Bahçekapılı has also arrived at the courtroom.

It was learned that the hearing will be held at the 14th High Criminal Court due to the small size of the 41st High Criminal Court courtroom. pic.twitter.com/C4qW39DfiQ

— 12punto (@12puntocomtr) January 12, 2024

ARDA TURAN SUBMITTED AN EXCUSE

Arda Turan, one of Seçil Erzan's victims and the manager of Eyüpspor, was expected to attend the hearing. However, he did not attend, having submitted an excuse to the court through his lawyer.

SELÇUK İNAN AND MUSLERA ALSO SUBMITTED EXCUSES

Selçuk İnan submitted a doctor's report to the court as he is on four days of medical leave. Muslera also did not attend, citing an excuse as he returned from the Sivas away game this morning.

SEÇİL ERZAN PRESENTS HER DEFENSE IN COURT

Seçil Erzan presented her defense in the case that Turkey is talking about.

Here are the highlights from Seçil Erzan's testimony;

Seçil Erzan: I lost one million in 2010-2011. I moved to Florya in December 2011. I had to replace the money I lost. At that time, I met Metin Taş due to a land sale in Çorlu. We were getting 100 thousand per check, per paper. 30 of it remained with me. I was also paying the expenses. There was nothing until 2013. Everything was going well.

"MY STRESS STARTED TO MULTIPLY THE MONEY"

My cousin Tanin Yılmaz sent 90 thousand Euros from abroad to my account. This was completely legal. I even told the inspectors. I evaluated this money in the private banking system. We were happy when we won. After a while, Tanin Yılmaz's wife, Merve Yılmaz, took out a loan to save money, and even took out loans in her parents' names. Merve wanted to earn a lot. My stress started to multiply that money. From 2014 to 2023, I was paying for all of Tanin Yılmaz's expenses, from A to Z. She didn't use a single lira from her company.

"MY MOTHER AND I WERE LEFT ALONE..!"

My mother had a stroke. I was very anxious. One day in 2016, while returning from Bozcaada, I met Hüseyin Eligül and his wife. I told them about my mother's situation while crying. He said he would support me. I was devoted to my mother. My father also left us and started living in Bozcaada. After this incident, problems between father and daughter began. My mother and I were left alone. Things came out about my father beating me. There was no such thing. I am in a very difficult situation. Hüseyin abi was bringing money from himself and his relatives. There was a thought that the more money there was, the sooner I would get rid of this business. Money started coming from Hüseyin abi's circle. His brother-in-law, his sister were bringing money. There was a Musa Köse in Çorlu, I didn't know him. He gave 15 thousand dollars. They asked for 75 thousand dollars. I said that this figure does not exist even in loan sharking."

"RELATIVES ALSO GAVE MONEY"

Erzan continued her defense;

"Nazlı Can also started taking care of my mother. At that time, Nazlı also noticed the money earned. There was Sacit Öztürk, a bank employee, he was also helping me at the bank. Nazlı also started taking money from her circle and bringing it. Thus, relatives gave money and received much more. I put in more effort than a normal branch performance. It was such a period. We were working very hard. Interest rates started to rise. I was still asking for help from Atilla Baltaş regarding that stock we were in the red on. He brought me 250 thousand dollars. He said, 'Buy a field or real estate.' I had to pay 100 thousand dollars every 3 months. Later, because he took it from someone else, he was asking me for money. When I said no, I was put under pressure. I always told the truth. These are one hundred percent true."

"I STARTED TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE PROCESS"

"Between 2019-2020, I fell 400 thousand dollars into the red. After that day, I could no longer manage the process. When I couldn't pay the money, I was afraid they would come to the branch and cause a scene. My father sold land and sent me money during this time.

In 2021, Atilla Baltaş brought another 250 thousand dollars. I thought it was his own money again. Later, he was asking me for 100 thousand dollars every 40 days. I experienced a mental block during that period. I was afraid of Atilla Baltaş. Atilla said that this money belonged to the currency trader."

Court President: You are struggling a lot. Why were you taking it when Atilla Baltaş brought money again?

Erzan: I took it to close the previous ones.

Court President: Who did the 400 thousand dollars you gave to Atilla Baltaş belong to?

Erzan: It also contained my own money. There was also money brought by acquaintances from around.

In 2021, I took money from Nuri Köşkdere to pay the currency traders. Money was coming and going. I didn't know how much it was. Ali was keeping track of it. Ali had quit his job at Nuri Köşkdere's side. He brought me 5 million, and then another 5 million. I wasn't telling anyone I was running a fund. I was saying I was evaluating it in private banking. I didn't make a commitment to Ali either. One of the 5 millions Ali brought belonged to a loan shark. I learned this when this money wasn't paid back. We faced pressure from the loan shark. I didn't see a single loan shark other than Süleyman Aslan. I realized we had fallen into the hands of loan sharks at the payment stage.

I STARTED TO FEEL INSECURE

We made a contract with Süleyman Aslan. I don't remember what contract we made. He was calling me every day. He was constantly threatening to come to the branch. I started paying too much interest to the people around me. After my father died, I started to feel insecure. I was begging Nazlı not to take money from anyone.

Court President: Were you begging while taking the money, saying don't give it?

Erzan: No, I was begging while making payments.

Court President: Why didn't you beg them not to give it before receiving the payment?

Erzan: There were payments I had to make urgently. Meanwhile, the living standards of those who took money from me were rising. For example, Hüseyin abi's son finished university. He was driving a top-model luxury car."

"I WAS LEFT WITH MY LIFE HERE"

I took 300 thousand dollars from Semih Kaya. I paid 1 million 300 thousand dollars. Later, I took this money back. I gave this money to Süleyman Aslan. Nuray Şengüler and Deniz Güzel fell into the red. Merve took 1 million 100 thousand dollars. Metin Taş took 300 thousand dollars. We paid 1 million 200 thousand dollars to Atilla Baltaş. We paid 550 thousand dollars to the loan sharks in Çorlu. There were those who took too much around Nazlı. Tanin bought a car and apartments. Nuri Köşkdere took 200 thousand dollars. Let MASAK investigate everyone. I was left with my life here.

"I DIDN'T CALL IT A FUND TO ANYONE EXCEPT EMRE"

Everyone knew this fund was not official. I never said Fatih Terim Fund or Hakan Ateş Fund. Selçuk İnan was coming and going to me. I told Selçuk İnan it was a secret transaction. I had to give the money I would get from him to Fırat Özdemir. I said it was being evaluated upstairs. I may have called it a fund to Emre at the very end."

There was laughter in the courtroom when Seçil Erzan said, "I am not lying."

Erzan's defense continued as follows;

"EMRE BELÖZOĞLU'S MONEY WAS DISTRIBUTED TO EVERYONE"

Everyone had a loan shark behind them. Ayhan Akman gave me 330 thousand dollars. I paid it as 500 thousand dollars. I paid Ayhan Akman a total of 750 thousand dollars. I took money from Semih for the money I gave to Ayhan. Semih didn't treat me badly. The GPS incident is this. In November or December, I gave the money in my bag to Atilla Baltaş. I wanted that bag back. I put money in that bag and gave it to Semih. Atilla Baltaş especially wanted to send the bags back. He wanted to track the money. I understand now. Semih called. 'Sister, there is something in this bag, it's beeping.' Atilla Baltaş installed that GPS. I gave a part of the money Emre Belözoğlu brought to Semih and a part to Fırat. Emre Belözoğlu's money was actually distributed to everyone. 250 thousand dollars went to Atilla Baltaş, 650 thousand dollars went to a dentist. 200 thousand dollars went to Muslera. I gave 300 thousand dollars to Erkan Ergene. I gave 300 thousand dollars to Selçuk.

COURT PRESIDENT ASKED: YOU ALSO WANTED TO TAKE MONEY FROM PODOLSKI?

If Semih Kaya hadn't taken too much interest, there were actually situations I could have solved. Arda brought money. Arda is in the red. I'm not sure what the figure is. He sold his house and brought it. He used a loan and closed it. I gave a part to Arda. But I don't know how much I gave. It's not with me. Arda gave around 15 million dollars. He gave this in pieces."

Court President: You also wanted to take money from Podolski?

Seçil Erzan: I was in a very difficult situation at that time. I had to make a payment to Atilla Baltaş.

"I WENT TO FIRAT ÖZDEMİR FOR EMRE ÇOLAK'S MONEY"

I was paying money to everyone. I couldn't pay my own credit card installments. I couldn't pay my 2500 lira credit card. 80 percent of the money I took from Emre Çolak went to Fırat. I gave a part to Ayhan Akman and a part to Süleyman Aslan. The person I spoke to as Ali Gözcügöz in the voice recording is Mert Zeydanlı. Mert Zeydanlı didn't believe in this high-yield business of ours. He entered this business because he trusted me."

"THEY WERE GIVING ME MONEY BY CALLING ME SEÇO SEÇO"

Continuing her defense while crying, Seçil Erzan stated that she could have walked around with 5 bodyguards if she wanted to, and said the following;

"I lost my job. I lost my future. I apologize to all of you. If I weren't a bank manager, these people wouldn't give me money. I apologize to everyone. I was a daughter to some. I was Seço. I was a sister to some. How is everyone a witness to everything. Let Ali also tell. Let them say who gave how much. When I was giving the money, everyone was bringing me gifts. Turkish delight from Afyon, watches were gifted. I wasn't wearing the watch Arda gifted... Yes, there are victims. Emre Belözoğlu. What sin does the child have? Semih took it from there. I met Emre while taking money. We knew Arda from before. There were those who gave me money by calling me Seço Seço."

The hearing resumed after a break.

THERE ARE MORE WHATSAPP MESSAGES!

It turned out that not all of the WhatsApp messages recovered from Seçil Erzan's broken phone were brought to court. When Rezan Epözdemir, the attorney for Selçuk İnan and Muslera, asked, "You talked to everyone, why didn't you talk to a single bank regional manager?" the Court President said, "There is only correspondence regarding customers. We also included the conversations that would constitute a crime. The others will also come."

"I ALSO SPOKE WITH HAKAN ATEŞ"

After this conversation between Epözdemir and Court President Nursel Bedir, Seçil Erzan took the floor and said, "I spoke with many people on this phone. We also spoke with my managers at the bank. I may have even spoken with Hakan Ateş. Isn't this natural?"

COURT PRESIDENT ASKED: DID HAKAN ATEŞ KNOW?

To the question asked about how the paperwork for those who gave money to the fund was done, Erzan replied, "Everyone was keeping track of the money they brought themselves. Hüseyin Abi and Nazlı were keeping the records of the money they received themselves."

Court President: Did you tell anyone about Hakan Ateş and the Fatih Terim Fund?

Seçil Erzan: There are a few people I told. I told İbrahim Çağlar. I told Volkan. I didn't tell anyone else.

Court President: Well, do they know about this? In cross-examination, Attorney Rezan Epözdemir, in the WhatsApp conversation between you and Tanin Yılmaz, is the person you discovered in the message "Thanks to me, they earned fifty percent. Now they are in France. Itchy" Hakan Ateş?

Seçil Erzan: The person I meant here is not Hakan Ateş. It is the sisters of Merve Yılmaz, who earned money from me.

Court President: Rezan Epözdemir? Before being taken into custody, a phone was given to you by the bank and numbers were loaded. Then you were told to break your old phone.

Seçil Erzan: The phone was off. No one could reach me. Because the phone was off, they saved the numbers on the phone they gave.

THEY MADE ME SIGN 15 PROMISSORY NOTES ON APRIL 7!

Seçil Erzan continued her defense as follows;

I went to Çorlu on April 7. I stopped by Nazlı's. When I came home, Moji had arrived. Erkan Ergene was there. They made me sign something right there. Moji made me sign something. Erkan Ergene made me sign something. I was stuck in the kitchen. My mother is screaming inside. They made me sign 15 promissory notes."

ANSWER TO THE RECORDED FOOTAGE

Upon being asked about the video where she spoke inside a car, Erzan replied, "Moji is also among those who received 250 thousand dollars extra. When I went to the house in Çorlu, I went to the village on April 7.

Everyone was going to come to the bank that day because I didn't know what to do. When I came home at 16:00, Moji was in front of the door. Erkan was at the door with his car. I wanted to go home and drink water. Erkan wanted me to sign something. Afterwards, Moji took me and told me something.

Moji forced me to say what I said in the cell phone footage. I said those sentences under duress. I was made to sign papers I didn't know," she replied. The hearing continues with questions from the lawyers to the defendant Seçil Erzan.

'SEÇİL INTRODUCED ME TO FATİH TERİM'

The non-detained defendant Nazlı Can, whose defense was taken, said that she and her close relatives also gave money to Erzan with the expectation of profit. Explaining that her financial situation worsened because of Erzan, Can said, "I still have a loan debt to the bank. I have 17 installments. I am in a very, very bad situation financially."

To the court president's question of why you continued to give money, Can said, "To earn more. Just like everyone else did."

"Seçil introduced me to people I couldn't even imagine. She introduced me to Fatih Terim," she said. According to the case file, Nazlı Can is accused of delivering the money she received from many people to Erzan.

BUSE TERİM "I DID NOT DISCUSS THIS ISSUE WITH MY FATHER FATİH TERİM"

After Seçil Erzan's defense, the testimonies of the complainants were moved on to.

Complainant Buse Terim Bahçekapılı said in her statement, "On November 2, 2022, my cousin Terim Arıcan said, 'I have money in a time deposit at Denizbank.' She mentioned the Seçil Erzan fund.

She said the fund was good. Since I don't understand these matters, I met with her. I gave my money that was in the time deposit, 190 thousand dollars, to Seçil Erzan. I did not discuss this issue with my family before.

I did not talk to my father Fatih Terim about this, I did not ask questions, I did not mention it. We would talk to Seçil Erzan for banking transactions, we didn't meet otherwise.

When my husband mentioned the fund Seçil Erzan talked about, I said, 'Yes, my money is there too.' I never spoke to Seçil Erzan before handing over the money. When we asked for documents, she couldn't give them because she left urgently due to work on the day we handed over the money, and excuses were offered afterwards. I have a loss of 190 thousand dollars. I am a complainant. If Seçil Erzan were not a bank manager, I would definitely not have given the money," she said.