Indictment accepted: Date set for Bahar and Nihal Candan to appear in court

The date has been set for the Candan sisters, who are under investigation for fraud and money laundering, to appear in court. The indictment, which seeks a prison sentence of 14 to 44 years for Alisya Bahar Candan and 8 to 24 years for Gülnihal Çiçek, has been accepted by the court. The trial of the Candan sisters and 20 other defendants will begin on September 4 at the Küçükçekmece 5th High Criminal Court.

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Indictment accepted: Date set for Bahar and Nihal Candan to appear in court

The indictment, in which an investigation was launched into Bahar Candan and Nihal Candan for fraud and money laundering, seeking prison sentences of 14 to 44 years and 8 to 24 years respectively, has been accepted by the court.

Under the indictment accepted by the Küçükçekmece 5th High Criminal Court, Bahar Candan and her older sister Nihal Candan will appear before the judge as defendants on September 4.

'I KNOW THERE ARE VICTIMS'

Meanwhile, making a statement regarding the case, Attorney Burak Temizer said, “I believe that new victims may emerge in the later stages of the trial and that other cases may be merged under this one, because I know there are victims in different provinces of the country who, despite having been defrauded in the same way, are still waiting in the belief that they might get their money back, or who do not want their names known due to the incident they experienced.”

FROM THE INDICTMENT

The indictment prepared by the Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office included 38 complainants, 1 complainant-suspect, and 21 suspects, including Nihal and Bahar Candan. It was also stated in the indictment that the detained suspect Gülnihal Çiçek was released under judicial control, taking into account the time she spent in detention.

The indictment stated that the network led by Onur Apaydın and İlker Oflu defrauded citizens using the 'sazan sarmalı' (carp spiral) method by claiming they were selling vehicles at low prices.

It was noted in the indictment that Bahar and Nihal Candan were part of the hierarchical and organic structure of the criminal organization.

The indictment continued, “The suspects had previously participated in various television programs for a long time, appeared in tabloid programs after becoming famous, and because they reached a large number of followers on social media platforms, they possessed the status of what is now called a social media influencer and screen personality; therefore, they were figures recognized by wide segments of society, and due to this feature, they played an active role in deceiving victims at special meetings organized by the criminal organization for fraud activities.”

It was also explained in the indictment that the suspects were in a close relationship with the organization leader Onur Apaydın.

The indictment stated that organization leader Onur Apaydın carried out banking activities through suspect Alisya Bahar Candan, who held the position of 'secret accountant and treasurer' within the organization, and that the proceeds of crime were laundered. On the other hand, suspect Hacı İsrafil Sağlam, who was responsible for procuring victims, stated in his testimony included in the indictment that he attended organization meetings, saying, “Everyone from the upper echelon attended the meetings.

Field staff and lower levels could never attend. Everyone in the organization's top management participated. I saw Nihal Candan at two of the meetings. Nihal Candan was the girlfriend of organization leader Onur Apaydın.

Other individuals showed respect to Nihal Candan and acted with distance. Issues regarding the internal functioning of the organization and car buying and selling were discussed in the presence of Nihal Candan,” it was stated in the indictment that he had testified.

The indictment requested that Bahar Candan be sentenced to a total of 14 to 44 years in prison for the crimes of 'being a member of a criminal organization' (2 to 4 years) and 'fraud by claiming to be a public official or an employee of a bank, insurance, or credit institution, or claiming to be associated with these institutions' (twice, 12 to 40 years), and that Nihal Candan be sentenced to 8 to 24 years in prison for the same crimes.

Meanwhile, varying prison sentences were requested for the other 20 suspects.

News Source: İHA