Denizbank has released a statement regarding the recent Seçil Erzan case: We have become a bit of a scapegoat.

Denizbank General Manager Hakan Ateş said, regarding the allegations of "qualified fraud" and "embezzlement" against Denizbank Bornova Branch Manager Hatice Ö., "So far, there is no debt-credit record in the bank according to the examinations. Is it a banking transaction or not? Our Inspection Board is investigating this together with the prosecutor's office. I believe that the investigations will be concluded by the beginning of next week."

"IT SHOULD ALSO BE INVESTIGATED FOR MONEY LAUNDERING"

Ateş, speaking at a chat meeting with journalists in Hamburg, talked about the fraud allegations against DenizBank Bornova Branch Manager Hatice Ö. Ateş reminded that they continued their way with more than 90% of the employees of Tarişbank, which they acquired in 2002, and that Hatice Ö. was also an employee of Tarişbank.

Ateş stated that they learned that Hatice Ö. said that she and her mother were in debt due to health problems, and continued as follows:

"We are following the news about this incident from here. So far, there is no debt-credit record in the bank according to the examinations. Is it a banking transaction or not? Our Inspection Board is investigating this together with the prosecutor's office. We informed the prosecutor's office and the financial police. It should also be investigated for money laundering. We had conducted the same investigation process in the previous incident (Seçil Erzan case). When this first incident occurred, as a result of our initial 2-3 hours of research, since we did not come across any footage or debt-credit record in our cameras regarding the money given by the complainants, we already had the feeling that this was a pyramid scheme. Both the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency, the prosecutor's office, and the expert confirmed us."

"THE FIGURES AND ALLEGATIONS ARE COMPLETELY FICTITIOUS"

In the current case, I cannot make an evaluation whether it is a fraud case or embezzlement yet, as the investigation is ongoing. However, I can say that the figures and allegations reflected on social media are completely fictitious. There is a huge difference between the figures conveyed to us by our Inspection Board and the figures mentioned in the news. It is also understood that there is no connection with the business people whose names are used and that this is also fabricated. I believe that the investigations will be concluded by the beginning of next week."

Ateş explained that embezzlement and fraud cases occur everywhere in the world, which is why banks secure their losses by paying millions of dollars in premiums and taking out insurance policies.

"WE BECAME A SCAPEGOAT A LITTLE BIT"

Hakan Ateş stated that inspections in branches can be done once a year, and in some branches, every two years, and noted that similar incidents also occur in other banks.

Ateş said, "We became a scapegoat a little bit. While similar transactions encountered in many banks do not find a place in the media as news, even the smallest development related to us finds a place on social media in an interesting way."

"INSPECTIONS HAVE INCREASED"

Ateş stated that in no place in the world a branch manager would accept cash, and they do not have such authority. Ateş said, "After the recent incident, inspections in the bank have increased. As a result, consecutive detection of cases that may occur in later periods has been ensured. There is something, but we still do not know exactly what it is. We reported it to the prosecutor's office and we are investigating the allegations. It was conveyed to us that the Branch Manager is currently in the hospital."