02.06.2026 09:01
In an operation conducted in 27 provinces centered in Istanbul, 89 suspects were taken into custody for allegedly defrauding citizens through fake investment groups and shell companies. Within the scope of the investigation, trustees were appointed to 4 companies and 15 fuel stations believed to belong to a network with a transaction volume of 60 billion liras, while billions of liras worth of assets were also frozen.
In an operation organized in 27 provinces centered in Istanbul, 89 suspects were detained on allegations of fraud through so-called investment groups and shell companies created on digital platforms.
TRANSACTION VOLUME OF 60 BILLION TL DETECTED
Teams from the Istanbul Police Department's Cyber Crime Branch, coordinated by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, conducted efforts to prevent fraud and apprehend the suspects.
In their work, the teams determined that the suspects obtained illicit gains by using bank corporate identities and unauthorized names and images of executives or investment experts, through so-called investment groups and shell companies established on digital platforms.
Identifying that the suspects' personal and corporate accounts had a transaction volume of 60 billion lira, the teams, after completing their work, detained 89 suspects in a simultaneous operation across 27 provinces centered in Istanbul.
TRUSTEES APPOINTED TO 4 COMPANIES AND 15 FUEL STATIONS
Within the scope of the operation, trustees were appointed to 4 companies valued at 4 billion 606 million lira, considered to be proceeds from crime, along with 15 fuel stations and fuel and LPG filling facilities. Additionally, blocking measures were applied to 1 property, 11 vehicles, company shares, bank and cryptocurrency accounts, as well as other movable and immovable assets.
The suspects were taken to the police station for their procedures.
STATEMENT FROM MINISTER GÜRLEK
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek made a statement on his social media account regarding the operation. In his statement, Minister Gürlek said the following:
"Under the leadership of our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in strong coordination with our Ministry of Interior, we resolutely continue our fight against crime and proceeds of crime; we are relentlessly pursuing cybercrimes, illegal betting, and qualified fraud networks.
As of this morning, we have struck a major blow against criminal groups coveting the rights of our citizens and the public, by carrying out massive operations centered in our provinces of Istanbul and Nevşehir, the first covering 27 provinces and the second 28 provinces.
Within the scope of the investigation conducted by our Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, in coordination with the Istanbul Provincial Police Department Cyber Crime Branch; a simultaneous operation was carried out against 114 suspects in 27 provinces; 600 million TL in damages from 269 victims and a transaction volume of 60 billion TL in suspect accounts were identified; and seizure and trustee appointment procedures for billions of lira worth of assets related to the crime have been initiated.
In another successful operation coordinated by our Nevşehir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; simultaneous raids were conducted at 120 separate addresses across 28 provinces targeting an illegal virtual betting ring that reached a money volume of 10 billion TL using the bank and crypto accounts of our citizens, targeting 107 suspects.
I congratulate our Istanbul Anatolian and Nevşehir Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices, which conducted these successful investigations with great meticulousness; and our Istanbul and Nevşehir Provincial Police Department Cyber Crime teams, who successfully carried out the operations.
I congratulate our Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and our Nevşehir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which conducted these successful investigations with great meticulousness, and our Istanbul Provincial Police Department and Nevşehir Provincial Police Department Cyber Crime teams, who meticulously carried out the operations, and wish them success in their work.
Our judicial and administrative mechanisms will continue to operate with the same determination and uncompromising stance against all types of criminal organizations in the cyber realm."