‘Palace’ scam targeting Turkish businessman in Dubai: Unbelievable allegations emerge!

An unbelievable fraud incident has occurred in Dubai, a city preferred by Turkish businesspeople for investment. 

MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR SCAM

According to the report by Kardelen İnce from tv100.com; Mehmet Fırat, a company owner operating in the construction sector, was allegedly defrauded in a ‘Dubai setup’ that began in February 2023 with promises of palace construction and pot manufacturing in Dubai. Following Fırat’s victimization, it was alleged that the same individuals had defrauded many other businesspeople in Turkey, carrying out a scam amounting to millions of dollars through these individuals.

CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS SETUP

Mehmet Fırat, who was introduced to suspects M. S. Ş. and N. B. through a Turkish architect named B. B. A., was insistently invited to Dubai in March 2023 to undertake construction and glass house manufacturing projects. During the first meeting in Dubai, businessman Mehmet Fırat was informed that there was an assembly building in the UAE and that an angel investor was present there. Subsequently, suspect M.S.Ş. promised to purchase 1,500 pots from businessman Mehmet Fırat, claimed they would reach an agreement with him for the construction of a palace in the region, and promised to work with him on many construction projects over the next 10 years.

Within the scope of these projects, suspect N.B. made it a condition for Mehmet Fırat to establish a company in Dubai. Upon returning from Dubai, businessman Mehmet Fırat discussed the project with his friend, another businessman H.D., and the two carried out their next visit to Dubai together.

KEY FIGURE IN THE FILE EMERGES

Suspect N.B., the person who first made contact with the victims on behalf of the fraud gang, took the duo during this visit to the farm of M. A. A. M., who he claimed was the President of the Chamber of Commerce of a city in the United Arab Emirates and his business partner; the Chamber of Commerce President also accompanied the duo during their visit. After the second meeting, Mehmet Fırat was persuaded to establish a company and was promised that 2 offices would be rented for him.

On the other hand, it is alleged that N.B. and his business partner, Chamber of Commerce President M.A.A.M., gained the trust of the victims they defrauded using this pretext.

THEY DARKENED HIS LIFE

The suspects requested 100 thousand dollars from Mehmet Fırat, claiming that they would facilitate procedures and act as a kind of consultant by asking him to establish a company in Dubai. Businessman Mehmet Fırat delivered 42 thousand dollars of the money in cash in the presence of Architect B. B. A., while he sent the remainder of the money via bank transfer to a person named N. S. under the direction of N. B., while recording a video of the transaction.

After the payment was made, suspect N.B. and businessman Mehmet Fırat signed 2 contracts. After the contracts were signed, Mehmet Fırat began the company's personnel organization and started the first glass production of 39 thousand dollars requested from him for the palace construction project, which was touted as having a cost of 39 million dollars.

STARTED WITH ‘SHEIKH RELATIVES’, CONTINUED WITH PALACE CONSTRUCTION

Mehmet Fırat began traveling to the UAE constantly with a group of 10-15 architects and engineers to speed up the work, but suspect N.B. postponed the project, which was supposed to start in May, first to June and then to July.

THEY CAUGHT HIM WITH A BIG FISH!

It is alleged that Mehmet Fırat began to suspect foul play when the small project, which was postponed in the first stage, was disrupted before they could even reach the “palace construction” project, which the gang presented as the “big fish” and used to build trust by saying, “There are relatives of the Sheikh, the tender is yours.”

ALSO DEFRAUDED IN THE RENTED HOUSE

Mehmet Fırat, who went to the UAE in April 2023, was met by N. B., who told him that the company establishment phase was finished and that identity and residence permits needed to be issued for the businessman. Mehmet Fırat, who was taken to a real estate agent by N.B. in the UAE, was defrauded this time with the lie of renting a house.

It was understood that N.B., who was in cooperation with the real estate agent, allegedly did not give the money paid by Mehmet Fırat to the landlord and gave the owner of the rented house 3 checks prepared with different signatures.

Furthermore, it is alleged that Mehmet Fırat's blood and fingerprint samples were taken unlawfully and used in some illegal activities such as passport issuance.

STARTED WITH A HOUSE, CONTINUED WITH A CAR

N.B., who stated that a car should also be purchased for the company established in the UAE, made Mehmet Fırat pay a deposit of 10 thousand dirhams (approximately 95 thousand Turkish Liras) for a BMW 740 model car and told him that he should take out a loan to buy the car, but the car in question was never delivered to Mehmet Fırat.

The gang in question provided assurance by mentioning the name of the aforementioned Chamber of Commerce President M. A. A. M. whenever the businesspeople expressed any concern.

FAKE LOAN APPLICATION

Mehmet Fırat, who fell into the fraud network, realized what was happening when he went to the bank. Mehmet Fırat, who went to the bank to get information, learned that a loan application for 7 million dirhams (65 million 300 thousand TL) had been made in his name by N. B. without his knowledge.

Upon these developments, Mehmet Fırat, who returned to Turkey, realized that the 19 million dollar contract signed by his friend, businessman H. D., for the construction of a hotel had not been put into effect either, and the two realized they had been defrauded.

BANK MANAGEMENT TURNED OUT TO BELONG TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT!

During this process, they learned that the offices in the towers shown to the businesspeople and the management of the international bank in Dubai, where the irregular loan application was made, also belonged to the aforementioned Chamber of Commerce President.

After this process, Mehmet Fırat, who tried to communicate with N.B., was detained at the UAE airport when he went there in November 2023.

BLACKMAIL IN DETENTION!

The victim businessman, who realized that he had been complained about by N.B. for the “crime of insult before the competent authorities of the UAE,” was kept under house arrest for 35-40 days. During this process, Mehmet Fırat, who hired a lawyer, was subjected to blackmail by N. B. through F. T., the accountant of M. A. A. M., who tried to force him to sign a contract that would act as a release for all illegal activities on the condition that he withdraw his complaint.

Following the incident, Mehmet Fırat, who learned that the aforementioned N.B. had defrauded at least 7-8 more people in the UAE using the same method for amounts between 30,000 and 100,000 dollars, left almost all his assets in the UAE and returned to Turkey.

CHILLING ALLEGATIONS

G. G., a close employee of Chamber of Commerce President M. A. A. M., fled to escape all these illegal activities and made chilling allegations in a message sent to another victim businessman, H. D.

In the message he sent, G. G. confessed that there were many people who were defrauded with the promise of establishing a company and that these fake passports were sold for 600,000 dollars after taking blood and fingerprint samples from these people. In addition to these allegations, there are also statements that the gang was involved in gold smuggling. In G.G.'s 'confession' message, it is alleged that relationships were also established with some Russian businesspeople regarding these illegal activities.

In the case where 6 Turkish businesspeople who have filed complaints so far were defrauded using the same method, reports have started to arrive that there are many more victims and that the gang continues its activities.

On the other hand, in the case where 9 people are on the witness list; a complaint was filed against a total of 9 people with the status of suspects.

THEY CONTINUE TO CAST THEIR NETS!

While the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has completed the statement-taking and evidence-gathering processes for Mehmet Fırat and other victims; it was revealed by the previous victim that one year after the fraud incident in question, the same team is now attempting to commit fraud using the same methods by making contact with new businesspeople in Turkey.

It was understood that although the Dubai-based fraud gang is aware of the criminal complaints filed against them, they continue to defraud businesspeople who are having trouble investing economically in Turkey by deceiving them.