Multi-million lira digital fraud investigation at luxury watch company in Istanbul

The Turkish operations of one of the world's well-known watch brands have been shaken by cybercrime. In the incident at the Istanbul office, it was discovered that the general manager's email account had been compromised by a fraudster. Using the account, the suspect issued fake instructions to employees in the general manager's name, ensuring that 870,500 euros were transferred to their own account.

After the transaction was completed, the actual manager of the company noticed the situation and applied to the competent authorities. Following the incident, a complaint for "qualified fraud" was filed with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office through lawyers. In the application, attention was drawn to the scale of the financial loss and the risk of potential evidence tampering, and it was requested that the suspect be punished in the most severe manner.

SUSPECT APPREHENDED, PORTION OF FUNDS BLOCKED

Within the scope of the investigation conducted by police units, an individual named Uğur A. was taken into custody in a short time. During the investigation, it was determined that 500,000 euros of the transferred money was still in another bank account. A large portion of this amount was seized, ensuring the company's loss was mitigated.

After the police process, the suspect was referred to the courthouse; although they did not accept the accusations, the prosecutor's office referred Uğur A. to the court with a request for arrest. Company lawyers have appealed the decision of the duty magistrate judge to release the suspect under judicial control. The investigation into the incident continues under the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

A FAVORITE BRAND OF THE LUXURY WATCH WORLD

The watch brand at the center of the incident is known worldwide for being the choice of many famous names such as Jay-Z, Pharrell Williams, Rafael Nadal, Lewis Hamilton, and Oktay Kaynarca. Following this cyberattack at its Istanbul office, the company is closely following the legal process to recover its financial losses and ensure those responsible are punished.

News Source: 12punto