Allegations of multi-billion lira money traffic in Paybull case: Same names back on the agenda

Cumhuriyet newspaper columnist Murat Ağırel, in an article evaluating the Paybull investigation, brought to light the allegations contained in the investigation file and the findings in official reports.

Based on the prosecutor's indictment and reports from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), Ağırel stated that there are allegations that the Paypay application, operating under Paybull, was used to transfer illegal betting proceeds into the financial system.

The article reported that some individuals mentioned in the investigation file are alleged to have played critical roles in company management processes and money transfers.

ACCOUNTS OPENED FROM THE SAME IP ADDRESSES DETECTED

Ağırel noted that remarkable findings were reached during the examinations by MASAK and the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (TCMB).

Accordingly, it was stated that numerous accounts were opened from the same IP addresses, there were deficiencies in customer due diligence processes, and unusual money transfers were detected.

Pointing out that these findings are included in the investigation file, Ağırel also made assessments regarding the scale of the money movements.

"THE FILE POINTS TO BILLIONS OF LIRAS IN MONEY TRAFFIC"

Ağırel shared his calculation regarding the amount of money passing through the system with the following words:

"If the average commission rate is assumed to be 5 percent, the money passing through the system is approximately 2.8 billion liras. If assumed to be 3 percent, it is 4.8 billion liras. At 2 percent, it exceeds 7 billion liras, and at 1 percent, it exceeds 14 billion liras. In other words, the file points not to a few hundred million, but to a money traffic of billions of liras."

NAMES FROM THE PAYCO FILE APPEAR AGAIN

Continuing his article, Ağırel stated that some individuals whose names appeared in investigations regarding different payment institutions are also involved in the Paybull file, noting that Turgut Nezih Sipahioğlu, one of the names he encountered in the previous PayCO investigation, has also come to the fore in this file.

According to Ağırel, it was observed that Sipahioğlu, who had approximately 26 million liras in money movement with Ozan Bingöl in the PayCO investigation, was involved in a money traffic of approximately 8.4 million liras with Sefa Dalkıran in the Paybull file.

QUESTIONS REGARDING PAYMENT INSTITUTIONS ON THE AGENDA

While raising the question of what the commercial justifications for these money transfers are, Ağırel stated that it is remarkable that the same names appear repeatedly in different payment institutions, different investigations, and different money flows.

The article also stated that whether effective investigations are being conducted into some payment institutions mentioned in MASAK and TCMB correspondence is among the questions awaiting answers.

NAMES OF MULTIPLE PAYMENT INSTITUTIONS MENTIONED IN REPORTS

Ağırel stated that Paybull is not the only entity in the examination and investigation documents, noting that the names of different payment institutions are also mentioned in various reports and correspondence.