12.08.2026 17:50
Citizens who claim they were victimized by the promise of forex investment allege that Yavuz Usta is in Bulgaria and is being sought with a red notice. Saying they have suffered losses of millions of liras, the victims demand that the money trail be investigated in all its aspects and that the case files be concluded.
The process that began with promises of high returns has been brought to the judiciary with allegations of losses amounting to millions of liras.
Citizens, who say they were directed to the forex market by individuals posing as investment experts, state that they cannot get back the money they deposited into the system. One of the prominent names in news about the investigation and case files is Yavuz Usta, known as the owner of the crypto asset platform Tomya.
Victims state that Usta is in Bulgaria and is being sought with a red notice. They expect the authorities to expedite the procedures for bringing Usta to Turkey and to conclude the judicial processes.
OPERATION IN 9 PROVINCES, 11 ARRESTS
Yavuz Usta's name came to the fore in November 2023 with a forex operation carried out in nine provinces centered on Istanbul. In the investigation reported to be coordinated by the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, proceedings were initiated against 30 suspects. In the operation, 25 people were caught; 11 suspects, including Yavuz Usta, were arrested. Judicial control measures were imposed on 10 suspects, while four people were released.
It was reported that 319,445 liras, 22,400 dollars, and 380 euros were seized at the addresses, along with documents and digital materials stated to belong to shell companies.
According to the allegations in the investigation, investors were promised high returns, shown a panel where they could track movements in their accounts, and the leveraged transactions were manipulated to wipe out the deposited money. Afterwards, the victims were asked to deposit money again.
CLAIM OF 42 COMPANIES
In news regarding the 178-page indictment, which was reported to have been accepted by the Bakırköy 9th Heavy Penal Court, it was claimed that a total of 42 companies, some of which were alleged to be shell companies, were used with the aim of defrauding investors.
Among the losses reported to be reflected in the file are losses reaching 211,500 dollars and 19 million liras. It is also alleged that some other investors lost 5 million, 3 million, and 2.5 million liras.
In a news report based on the indictment, it was stated that a total of 130 million liras was transferred to a foreign exchange company, which was one of the companies alleged to be under the control of the defendants in the file.
It was reported that the company partner defended that the incoming money was recorded and that it was not possible for him to know the authorities of all the companies that sent money.
MONEY TRAFFIC UNDER MASAK'S SCRUTINY
In the investigation, it is stated that the determinations regarding the laundering of crime proceeds were reported by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board.
The examination was not limited to a single organization. It was alleged that income obtained from forex investment fraud, illegal betting, and various qualified fraud crimes, stated to have been committed across Turkey, was integrated into the financial system through a professional system.
It is stated that Yavuz Usta's name appears in different judicial files in Bakırköy, Istanbul, Konya, Beykoz, Nazilli, Ankara, Bursa, and Büyükçekmece.
The records include the following crime categories:
- Establishing an organization with the aim of committing a crime
- Fraud using information systems, banks, or credit institutions
- Unauthorized use of another person's bank or credit card
- Fraud during commercial activities
- Laundering of property values derived from crime
- Qualified fraud
THE SHOWCASE OF TRUST: FOOTBALL SPONSORSHIP
Tomya gained wide visibility through its sponsorship before the investigation. The company became the shirt sponsor of Hull City, the English Championship team owned by Acun Ilıcalı, in 2022. Yavuz Usta, Ece Pulaş, Acun Ilıcalı, and footballer Ozan Tufan attended the sponsorship ceremony.
This connection established with an international football club brought the company visibility and reputation before the public. Indeed, the lawyer of a suspect in the investigation also stated that his client established a relationship with Tomya by trusting the Hull City sponsorship.
The victims also want an investigation into the source of the sponsorship expenditures and whether the alleged crime proceeds were used in these payments.
ACCESS BLOCKS TO HUNDREDS OF CONTENTS
Following the publication of news about the investigation, a remarkable number of access blocking decisions were made. According to the news based on Free Web Turkey data, on January 5, 2024, access was blocked to 303 news articles and social media posts about the arrest of Yavuz Usta and Ece Pulaş on charges of forex fraud.
Thus, for the victims, two separate struggles emerged: recovering the money they state they lost and announcing what they experienced to the public.
BULGARIA AND THE RED NOTICE
According to the claims of the victims following the files, Yavuz Usta is in Bulgaria and is being sought with a red notice.
The victims want the procedures for bringing Usta to Turkey to be expedited and the judicial processes continuing in different cities to be concluded without further delay.