Usury allegations in the Seçil Erzan case: Erkan Karaca denies claims

Former Denizbank branch manager Seçil Erzan, who is being tried on charges of defrauding more than 30 people, including names such as Emre Belözoğlu, Arda Turan, and Fernando Muslera, with the promise of a high-yield fund, appeared before the judge for the sixth time today.

Seçil Erzan and the other six defendants were present at the sixth hearing held at the Istanbul 41st High Criminal Court in Çağlayan Courthouse. The court panel arrived at the courtroom at 10:57 AM. After the panel entered the room, the hearing began with identity verification.

'IT WAS SAID THAT HAKAN ATEŞ WAS MANAGING THE FUND'

The first person to be heard at the hearing was Erkan Karaca, whom Seçil Erzan had accused of usury and forcing her to sign a promissory note in a 27-page letter she sent to the court panel yesterday.

Stating that he was a complainant against Seçil Erzan and requesting to join the case, Erkan Karaca said the following:

“Seçil Erzan started coming to shop at our store in İSTOÇ in 2019. She told us she was a Denizbank branch manager. She said she could provide financial support. She directed us. She said there was a private fund, that it included famous business people, primarily bank manager Hakan Ateş, as well as famous football players, and that it had high returns. We handed her 600 thousand liras at the branch. Later, we gave 500 thousand dollars. In total, we handed over 1 million 138 thousand dollars. We handed it over in 2020.

We received some money back from the amount we deposited. However, we are owed 673 thousand dollars. After that, she started stalling us with various excuses. She stalled us by saying the money was being invested in the fund. She said the money in the fund had risen to 5 million dollars.”

Lawyer Rezan Epözdemir asked, “What exactly did Seçil Erzan tell you? Was Denizbank General Manager Hakan Ateş the manager of the fund or one of the stakeholders?” Karaca replied, “She told me that Hakan Ateş was involved in the management of the fund.”

Seçil Erzan’s lawyer, Nazlı Nadide Karaaslan, asked Erkan Karaca whether he had received a promissory note. Karaca said, “Seçil Erzan offered the promissory note, and I accepted it.”

'SHE TRUSTED ME BECAUSE I WAS A BANK MANAGER'

Seçil Erzan’s lawyer, Nazlı Nadide Karaaslan, requested that Erkan Karaca’s request to join the case be rejected. However, the court panel accepted Karaca’s request to join the case.

Following Karaca’s testimony, Seçil Erzan took the defendant’s stand. Erzan stated, “Karaca made me sign a promissory note for 1.5 million dollars. I asked for a loan from Erkan Karaca. He trusted me because I was a bank manager. Erkan Karaca has studied finance in America. He knew that this money was off the books. They wanted me to pay double the money I had received between 2012 and 2020. I had to pay interest to pay these off. I was trying to keep my word. I said I would pay my debt in cash. I was trying to pay because I am not a fraudster.”