She let a friend use her IBAN and faced a nightmare: Trials continue in high criminal court

Özlem Develi, a 23-year-old living in Adana, allegedly became friends with M.D. while attending a prep school in 2023. M.D. gained Özlem Develi's trust and proposed to the young woman, saying, 'I am involved in trade. My accounts are blocked; would you let me use your IBAN for a short time?'

Develi opened an account at a private bank and gave it to her friend to use. During this process, Develi grew suspicious when M.D. stopped coming to the prep school, and 15 days later, she was summoned to the police station, where proceedings were initiated against her for fraud and a lawsuit was filed. The young woman explained the situation to the police, filed a complaint against M.D., and subsequently closed her bank account.

It turned out that before the account was closed, M.D. had organized prize draws on social media platforms and demanded money from the winners. People who paid the money but did not receive the products they won in the draws filed complaints against Özlem Develi. Develi entered prison last June. After being released following a period in prison, the young woman was sentenced to 4 years and 5 months in prison and a 149,960 TL administrative fine as a result of a case heard at the Burdur 2nd High Criminal Court last week.

Stating that 11 of the 20 lawsuits filed against her are still ongoing in various courts across the country, Özlem Develi said that because she filed a complaint against M.D., she was subjected to threats from M.D. and those around them. She added that M.D. sent her messages saying, "I will have you picked up from your home in the morning as a terrorist. Come be a part of this, take 2,000 liras as pocket money, and I will continue working with you. You are a beautiful girl, let's settle this amicably."

"I filed a complaint, they threatened me"

Despite all the difficulties she faced, the young woman, who attended university and graduated from the computer programming department, said she could not go to pick up her diploma because there is a finalized prison sentence and an arrest warrant against her. Describing what she went through to an İHA reporter with tears in her eyes, Özlem Develi said, "My friend said they were involved in trade and that their accounts were blocked. They asked to use my account, and I trusted them. However, they defrauded people.

I learned everything at the police station. I filed a complaint. They threatened me, saying, 'We will have you picked up from your home as a terrorist.' Nothing happens to those who do this. Currently, 3-4 of my sentences are in the appellate court, and one has been finalized. They will take me when they catch me. Even though I did not defraud people, they file complaints against me, and I receive the punishment," she said.

Stating that her life has been darkened and she cannot even receive her diploma, Develi said, "I finished university, but I cannot get my diploma. They ruined my life; I cannot get a job. There is an arrest warrant for me, and if I go to pick up the diploma, they will take me there; I cannot go. I went to prison for a crime I did not commit. I am paying the price for something I did not do. I stayed in prison for 15 days before the Feast of Sacrifice. I am the one suffering through these, and nothing happens to them," she said.

"My daughter's trials in the high criminal court continue"

Her father, Ahmet Develi, stated that his daughter's life has been ruined, saying, "My daughter trusted her friend and gave her IBAN, and they defrauded her. Currently, my daughter's trials in the high criminal court continue. We are in a desperate situation. Let this child be guided; it is a pity for her youth. My daughter is innocent," he said, breaking down in tears.