26.02.2025 12:41
In the case of Mehmet Ali Erbil, who appeared before the judge on the charge of encouraging illegal gambling, the prosecution's opinion was announced. The prosecution requested that Erbil be sentenced to up to 3 years in prison. While the court ruled to lift the judicial control measure of 'signing in,' the famous showman stated that his monthly income is between 300,000 and 400,000 Turkish lira.
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The trial of Mehmet Ali Erbil, who is accused of promoting illegal gambling advertisements and encouraging people to engage in it, has begun. In the hearing held at the Istanbul 20th Criminal Court of First Instance, the defendant Mehmet Ali Erbil and his lawyers were present without detention.
OUR JUDGMENT IS BOUND
During the hearing, Erbil, who identified himself, stated that he is a theater artist and mentioned that his monthly income is between 300,000 and 400,000 lira. Later, in his defense, Erbil said, "We were invited to Malta for the opening of a hotel. We went with Serdar Ortaç, but they tried to involve us in another incident. They tried to get us into a live broadcast of a site. They wanted to give us t-shirts, but we didn't wear them because it would be advertising. In the video, I emphasized, 'I never play illegal gambling, and you shouldn't either.' If I had gone for advertising, I wouldn't have said such a thing. It was not for advertising; we went there for the opening. This has nothing to do with career or age; even great professors are deceived. Our judgment is bound as well, and I feel ashamed to be here for such a disgraceful crime," he said.
"WE REGRETTED BUT IT WAS TOO LATE"
Later in the hearing, Serdar Ortaç was heard as a witness. In his statement, Ortaç said, "As soon as we arrived in Malta, they set up a table saying we would eat. Then they started doing interviews at the table, and everything was fine until it suddenly turned into gambling. Later, we saw that they were wearing t-shirts. They gave us money and told us to wear t-shirts, and we immediately ran away. We regretted it, but it was too late. We quickly found a morning flight and returned," he stated.
OPINION ANNOUNCED
The public prosecutor, who presented his opinion regarding the case during the hearing, requested that Erbil be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 1 to 3 years for the crime of 'encouraging individuals to engage in fixed odds or joint betting or gambling based on sports competitions through advertising and other means.'
JUDICIAL CONTROL LIFTED
The court, which announced its interim decision, decided to lift the judicial control measure of 'signing' for the defendant Erbil, while the request to lift the judicial control measure of a travel ban abroad would be evaluated together with the verdict. The court also ruled to give the defendant's lawyers time to prepare a defense against the opinion presented and adjourned the hearing.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation against several social media influencers and famous individuals, including Serdar Ortaç and Mehmet Ali Erbil, on the grounds that they were making illegal gambling advertisements and encouraging people to engage in it.
As part of the investigation, on November 11, 2024, a 'house arrest' judicial control measure was imposed on Mehmet Ali Erbil by the duty magistrate, and on November 27, 2024, this measure was lifted.
In the indictment prepared regarding the matter, it was requested that Erbil be sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 1 to 3 years for the crime of 'encouraging individuals to engage in fixed odds or joint betting or gambling based on sports competitions through advertising and other means.'
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