He claimed he was 'acquitted' in the case where he 'had a promissory note signed while disguised as a courier': It turns out SBK was sentenced

Sezgin Baran Korkmaz, a businessman who was once held in custody in Austria and the United States on charges including 'money laundering' and 'fraud,' had been a guest of journalist Fatih Altaylı. 

When asked by Altaylı about the allegation that he committed fraud by having a promissory note signed while disguised as a courier, Korkmaz replied, "I was not a party to it anyway, all the allegations are fabricated, I was acquitted."

THEY HAD A PROMISSORY NOTE SIGNED WHILE DISGUISED AS A COURIER

According to a report by Can Bursalı from Duvar; in the case where Korkmaz claimed he was "acquitted," a businessman named A.U. initiated foreclosure proceedings in 2011, claiming that a businessman named F.T., with whom he did business in the iron sector, owed him 12 million 860 thousand liras. 

During the foreclosure proceedings initiated after a promissory note was submitted to the enforcement office, F.T. deposited the necessary collateral and the process was halted. According to the indictment, F.T., who conducted research stating that he had not signed any promissory note, recalled signing documents presented by a courier who was delivering a magazine one month before the enforcement action.

When F.T. reached out to the magazine and learned that no such delivery had been made to him, he filed a lawsuit. The indictment stated that A.U., M.A., S.K., B.Ö., and Sezgin Baran Korkmaz conspired to rent and monitor a workplace near F.T.'s home. The file also included the allegation that after surveillance that lasted for a while, one of the defendants, M.A., went to F.T.'s home dressed as a courier and had him sign documents related to a magazine delivery, noting that there was a promissory note prepared underneath the documents.

5 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS IN PRISON

Following the foreclosure proceedings that began after the note was signed, F.T. filed a complaint against Sezgin Baran Korkmaz, A.U., M.A., S.K., and B.Ö. This case, heard at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court, lasted exactly 10 years. According to the verdict issued in April 2021, defendant Sezgin Baran Korkmaz was sentenced to a total of 5 years and 10 months in prison for the crimes of 'forgery of official documents' and 'qualified fraud.'

HE WAS NOT ACQUITTED, HIS SENTENCE HAS BEEN FINALIZED

The case in which Korkmaz claimed he was "acquitted" was appealed, and the file was sent to the 11th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation. In December 2022, the 11th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation did not find the defendants' appeal request valid and upheld the sentences given by the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court. In other words, the 5-year and 10-month prison sentence that Korkmaz claimed he was acquitted of has been finalized.

In the same case, the other defendants B.Ö., S.K., and M.A. were sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for the charge of 'forgery of official documents.' These sentences were also upheld by the 11th Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation.