10.07.2026 08:30
Following President Erdoğan's message "We will uproot them" targeting illegal betting, virtual gambling, and fraud networks, operations in this area continue. In the latest operation centered in Istanbul, 68 suspects were detained, and an investigation revealed a money flow of 76.2 billion lira. It was determined that the suspects attempted to launder illegal betting revenues through bank accounts and crypto assets.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently stated his determination in the fight against illegal betting, virtual gambling, and fraud networks, giving the message "We will eradicate them from their roots," and security forces' operations in this area continue unabated.
In this context, a large-scale operation was coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Investigation Bureau for Financing Terrorism and Money Laundering Crimes, carried out by the Department of Combating Cyber Crimes and the Istanbul Provincial Police Department's Cyber Crimes Branch Directorate.
68 SUSPECTS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
In the simultaneous operation conducted within the scope of the investigation into the crimes of "establishing an organization to commit crimes," "illegal betting," "qualified fraud using information systems," "bribery," and "money laundering of assets derived from crime," 68 suspects were apprehended and taken into custody.
TRANSACTION VOLUME OF 76 BILLION LIRA DETECTED
As a result of MASAK reports, technical and physical surveillance, bank transactions, digital material examinations, crypto asset analyses, and HTS record reviews, it was determined that the suspects acted as an organized criminal group.
In the investigation, it was found that the suspects transferred high amounts of money received through electronic money institutions to different bank accounts and then transferred a large portion to crypto asset service providers.
It was determined that a total of 100,025 transactions were carried out in banking records, with a total volume of 76,284,877,311 lira.
THEY TRIED TO HIDE THE MONEY WITH CRYPTO ASSETS
In the investigation, it was found that most of the money transferred to crypto asset platforms was converted to USDT and transferred to external wallets, attempting to obscure the trail of the money through this method.
Additionally, it was reported that the money transfer descriptions contained expressions that could be associated with illegal betting and gambling activities, and it was determined that the money movements originated from illegal betting income.
It was learned that the 68 suspects taken into custody were taken to the Istanbul Cyber Crimes Branch Directorate for processing, while the investigation continues.