24.01.2025 14:51
The investigation into social media influencer Kerimcan Durmaz for allegedly promoting illegal gambling advertisements has been completed. The prepared indictment requests that Durmaz be sentenced to up to 5 years and 3 months in prison.
Kerimcan Durmaz, who was arrested on the grounds of encouraging people by advertising illegal gambling, has completed the investigation against him. The prepared indictment requests that Durmaz be sentenced to up to 5 years and 3 months in prison.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had initiated an investigation against social media phenomenon Kerimcan Durmaz, alleging that he engaged in actions such as placing advertisements within the videos and visuals he published, and that he conducted activities that heavily encouraged and promoted illegal gambling. Durmaz, who was detained on January 7 as part of the investigation, was brought to court the next day and was arrested by the Istanbul Peace Criminal Court.
IT WAS STATED THAT HE NORMALIZED GAMBLING
The investigation related to the incident has been completed and the indictment has been prepared. In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the Sports Toto Organization was included as a 'victim of the crime', while Kerimcan Durmaz was included as a 'suspect'. It was stated that he normalized illegal gambling and betting in the eyes of society. The indictment noted that Durmaz encouraged playing bets or games of chance by participating in advertisements for illegal betting sites filmed with his knowledge, and that his actions posed a danger as he has a large following on social media and appeals to a wide audience, thereby normalizing illegal gambling and betting in the eyes of society and causing harm to the community.
'WHAT ABOUT CASINOS?'
The indictment also stated that although the suspect Durmaz claimed he did not accept the charges against him, when the relevant footage was examined, it was noted that the suspect turned his back while the advertisements for illegal betting sites were being displayed on the LED screen, and that it was contrary to the ordinary course of life for him not to see the images reflected on the LED screens. Additionally, it was recorded that he made statements such as 'what about casinos?' at that time.
REQUEST FOR UP TO 5 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS IN PRISON
The prepared indictment requested that the suspect Kerimcan Durmaz be sentenced to imprisonment of 1 year and 3 months to 5 years and 3 months for the crime of 'encouraging individuals to place advertisements and in other ways to play fixed-odds or joint bets or games of chance based on sports competitions' in a repeated manner.