28.08.2026 17:20
Mine Mumcu, nicknamed "Ponzi Mine," who defrauded many people, including famous names, athletes, and bureaucrats, through a Ponzi scheme and had been sought since 2023 with a finalized 20-year prison sentence, was caught in a cafe in Kadıköy. The fugitive fraudster, who gained trust by introducing herself as lawyer or businesswoman "Maria Mine," was found to have 38 separate UYAP records and was carrying the identity of another woman; she was referred to the courthouse.
Mine Mumcu (45), nicknamed 'Ponzi Mine', who defrauded many people in Turkey, including bureaucrats, celebrities, and athletes, out of millions of liras and had a final prison sentence of 20 years, was detained in an operation resembling a film at a cafe in Kadıköy Suadiye. The fraudster, who was found with someone else's ID on her and was determined to be sought in 38 separate cases, was referred to the courthouse.
Teams from the Istanbul Police Department's Public Order Branch Directorate, Wanted Persons Bureau Office, had been tracking Mine Mumcu, a fraud suspect who had been on the run as a fugitive since 2023 and had a final prison sentence of 20 years.
HIDDEN WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S IDENTITY
As a result of the police teams' meticulous pursuit, it was determined that Mumcu was at a luxury cafe in Kadıköy Suadiye. Acting on the evening of Thursday, August 27, teams from the Wanted Persons Bureau Office caught the suspect red-handed while she was sitting at the cafe and took her into custody. During the search of Mumcu, an ID card belonging to another woman was seized. It was learned that the suspect had been hiding her tracks and moving around freely for a long time using this fake identity method.
SOMETIMES A LAWYER, SOMETIMES...
In the detailed GBT and UYAP query conducted on the suspect, who was taken to the police station, an extensive criminal record emerged. It was determined that Mumcu, who was learned to be a business administration graduate, introduced herself to people she contacted to gain their trust, sometimes as a lawyer and sometimes as a Jewish businesswoman named 'Maria Mine Mumcu'.
The following details stood out in the suspect's police records, who is alleged to have built a Ponzi scheme by instilling trust in bureaucrats, celebrities, and athletes using this method:
- 20 years of final prison sentence
- Sought in 38 separate UYAP cases (for bribery, forming a criminal organization, forgery of official documents, cooperative fraud, and robbery)
The fugitive fraudster, nicknamed 'Ponzi Mine', whose procedures at the Public Order Branch Directorate's Wanted Persons Bureau Office were completed, was referred to the courthouse under extensive security measures.