Seçil Erzan back in court: 'If Arda Turan is owed even 1 kuruş, give me a thousand-year sentence'

Former bank manager Seçil Erzan, who was sentenced to 102 years and 4 months in prison for allegedly defrauding numerous people, including famous football players, with the promise of high interest, has appeared in court again following the appellate court's reversal decision.

The case, in which Erzan, the former manager of the Denizbank Levent Branch, is being tried for allegedly defrauding more than 30 people—including Arda Turan, Fernando Muslera, Emre Belözoğlu, and Selçuk İnan—of millions of liras, has begun to be heard again at the Istanbul 29th High Criminal Court following the reversal decision by the 22nd Criminal Chamber of the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice.

Making a comprehensive defense in the first hearing of the retrial, Erzan claimed that her statements during the previous trial process were not taken into account and that she did not receive a fair trial. Erzan said, "I am very hopeful because I am being tried again. I do not think I received a fair trial. For 3.5 years, nothing I said was taken into account. Decisions were made against me. Only what the complainants said was accepted as absolute truth."

“I DID NOT FLEE” DEFENSE

Erzan also made statements regarding what happened on the day she turned off her phone. Defending that she did not flee, Erzan stated that she was on leave that day and went to Çorlu, saying, "I did not flee. That morning I turned off my phone, I was on leave, I went to Çorlu. I was not myself, I was very bad. I couldn't open my phone that day."

Claiming that some people who wanted money from her came to her door, Erzan said that she went to the bank of her own free will and tried to explain what had happened. Erzan also alleged that she was assaulted in front of her mother and forced to sign promissory notes.

In her defense, Erzan claimed that the term "fund" was used under fear and pressure, and she denied the accusation that she had established a system operating with the promise of high interest. "I did not set up a system. I have no behavior that would concretize the promise of high interest," said Erzan, arguing that she had no intention of corrupting anyone's will.

Erzan made a notable statement regarding the allegations concerning Arda Turan. Claiming that Turan received the money he gave her back within 15 days, Erzan said, "If Arda Turan is owed even 1 kuruş, give me a thousand-year sentence."

Reiterating that she did not set up an organization, Erzan said she sold all her assets to pay off her debts. "I gave everything I had. I don't have 1 lira. I couldn't pay, I did everything to pay. I sold everything. I sold everything my mother and father had," said Erzan, also arguing that she was under pressure, adding, "They don't kill you, dying is a luxury. You have to find that money."