A highly discussed defense from Seçil Erzan in the 'Fatih Terim Fund' case! 'If I were from Trabzon...'

Former Denizbank Branch Manager Seçil Erzan’s fraud case, in which she is accused of collecting money from many people in the worlds of sports and business under the name of the ‘Fatih Terim Fund’ with the promise of high returns, continues to remain on Turkey’s agenda.

The trial of Branch Manager Seçil Erzan, who is alleged to have defrauded 21 people, including well-known footballers Arda Turan, Fernando Muslera, Emre Belözoğlu, and Selçuk İnan, of approximately 25 million dollars and 7 million 384 thousand liras by claiming that names like Fatih Terim were also included in this fund, will continue at the Istanbul 41st High Criminal Court.

Witnesses, including footballer Semih Kaya, will be heard at the hearing.

The court had also ruled for the continuation of the detention of the defendants Seçil Erzan and Ali Yörük.

SEÇİL ERZAN: IF I WERE FROM TRABZON, I WOULDN'T BE EXPERIENCING THESE THINGS

Seçil Erzan's defense in court is ongoing.

According to the report by journalist Fırat Fıstık, Erzan stated the following in her defense;

"For the truth to emerge, the HTS records and account movements of those who received excessive money must be revealed. It can be noticed who received how much extra. The state should find these; they can be found. I took this money as bank manager Seçil Erzan. This is very clear. I did not say otherwise. They wouldn't have given the money if my business card didn't say Denizbank Branch Manager.

The prosecutor asked if I didn't keep a record; the bank took my agendas from me. The bank had the possibility of noticing this. I first mentioned the fund to Semih Kaya. I said, “There is a fund, don't withdraw too much money, wait a little. We will do it in your name.” This fund emerged after that.

I am the cause of the victimization, yes, but this money is not with me. I was assaulted on the evening of April 7. The 40-60 million dollar reality does not exist. There are real victims, yes. Emre Belözoğlu’s money was taken and distributed to 10 people.

If I were from Trabzon, I wouldn't be experiencing these things. I would walk around with bodyguards behind me."

BACKGROUND OF THE SEÇİL ERZAN CASE

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 18 people, including Buse Terim Bahçekapılı, Emre Belözoğlu, Emre Çolak, Fernando Muslera, Arda Turan, Selçuk İnan, and Volkan Bahçekapılı, were listed as 'complainants,' while 7 people, including Seçil Erzan, Ali Yörük, Asiye Öztürk, Atilla Yörük, Hüseyin Eligül, Kerem Can, and Nazlı Can, were listed as 'suspects.'

The prepared indictment stated that the suspect Seçil Erzan, who worked as the manager of Denizbank's Levent Büyükdere Street Branch, received 2 million dollars in cash from complainant Bülent Çeviker based on a personal relationship of trust for the purpose of investment, informed him that she would return it as 3 million on April 3, and provided the customer with a written document in return, but that the customer could not reach the branch manager despite trying.

The indictment noted that when the suspect Erzan could not be reached, the situation was reported to the bank, and that the bank attempted to conduct an investigation and reach Seçil Erzan but could not, which led to a criminal complaint being filed against Erzan and the investigation being initiated.

WHO DEPOSITED HOW MUCH MONEY INTO THE 'FATİH TERİM FUND'?

The indictment recorded that complainant Buse Terim Bahçekapılı gave 190 thousand US dollars, that Emre Belözoğlu delivered a total of 4 million 292 thousand dollars to the suspect Erzan, partly by sending it through Volkan Bahçekapılı, for investment in this fund, and that Fernando Muslera delivered 1 million 200 thousand dollars, but that the suspect Erzan returned 700 thousand of this amount and defrauded him of 500 thousand dollars.

On the other hand, it was stated that the suspect Erzan received 13 million 900 thousand dollars in cash from Arda Turan and defrauded him of 7 million 500 thousand dollars by returning only 6 million 400 thousand dollars as fund returns.

It was recorded that the suspect received 3 million 685 thousand dollars from Selçuk İnan and defrauded him of a total of 1 million 535 thousand dollars by returning 2 million 150 thousand of it as fund returns.

UP TO 252 YEARS IN PRISON REQUESTED

In the indictment with 18 complainants, it was requested that the suspect Erzan be sentenced to a total of 66 to 216 years in prison for the crimes of 'qualified fraud' and 'forgery of private documents.'

It was requested that the other 6 suspects be sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3 to 65 years. Later, with the addition of 3 more victims, the number of complainants rose to 21, and the prison sentence requested for Erzan also increased from 77 to 252 years.