The Seçil Erzan cases never end: Fraud nearing 200 million liras

Retired banker Müjgan Durmaz has been arrested on charges of collecting nearly 200 million liras from numerous individuals under the promise of profit shares. Former rally champion Ekrem Hakan Dinç is among those arrested. In addition to numerous bankers, rally athlete Burak Sohtorik is also among those who lost money to Durmaz.

According to the report by Dinçer Gökçe from Halktv.com.tr, Müjgan Durmaz began collecting money from people she was in contact with starting in 2019.

"I DO NOT DENY THAT THE MONEY CAME IN"

According to her statement, Durmaz primarily invested the money she collected in the stock market.

In her statements, 63-year-old Müjgan Durmaz said, "I do not deny that the money came in."

Durmaz claimed that she had paid back many of the individuals.

Durmaz stated that she invested the money she collected in the stock market but failed to generate a profit. Regarding the fate of the collected funds, she said, "I did not give anyone a guarantee. They also knew that there is a risk of losing money in the stock market."

"THE MONEY WAS LOST IN STOCK MARKET TRANSACTIONS"

Defending herself against claims of embezzlement, Durmaz said, "The money was lost as a result of normal transactions in the stock market." Durmaz's lawyer, in his defense during the judicial interrogation, stated, "My client and her family spent all their money to compensate for the losses of the complainants."

Rally champion Ekrem Hakan Dinç (61), who is in the position of both a complainant and a suspect in the file, said, "I gave my money to Müjgan to invest. I gave a total of 10 million 500 thousand TL from our family."

Claiming that he did not receive a commission, Dinç noted that Ali Hüroğlu, who filed a complaint against him, also gave his money of his own free will.

Nikola Çerkezo (59) said, "I did not encourage anyone to invest money." According to the file, Çerkezo is accused of causing the evaporation of 900 thousand liras belonging to Nuray Aslan, who lived with his childhood friend N. B.

Suspect Nur Esi (45) said that she sent a total of 24 million 400 thousand TL to Müjgân Durmaz from an inheritance left by her grandfather. Stating, "I did not collect money for Müjgân with the promise of profit," Esi added, "I did not receive 20,000 dollars from a person named Ferit Bahadır."

HER HUSBAND, SON, AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW ARE ALSO SUSPECTS

Following the interrogation, Müjgân Durmaz, Ekrem Hakan Dinç, Nikola Çerkezo, and Nur Esi were arrested. Durmaz's husband C. Durmaz, her son E. Durmaz, and her daughter-in-law S. Durmaz were released under judicial control conditions.

The amount of money transferred to Durmaz is 200 million TL. It is unclear how much of this money has been returned. Rally driver Burak Sohtorik gave 4 million liras. Sohtorik's relatives gave 65 million liras. It was understood that Şermin Derya Başal and her family gave 10 million liras, and Onur Tolga Aydemir gave 1 million 50 thousand liras.

POLICE UNCOVERED THE MONEY TRAFFIC

Noting that the money traffic of the suspects has been uncovered, Attorney Yasin Turhan pointed out that retired or active bankers are at the center of the increasing fraud incidents. Attorney Turhan stated that these individuals were able to collect money thanks to the profit shares and net earnings they promised.