14.12.2025 14:55
In a written statement, the lawyer of Murat Sancak, the former president of Adana Demirspor who was arrested as part of the "betting in football" investigation, expressed that the allegations against his client have no legal basis. In the statement describing the flow of money, it was stated, "There is not a single penny that my client, his family, or his companies cannot account for."
As part of the investigation into "Betting" and "Match-Fixing" in football conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 20 suspects, including Mert Hakan Yandaş, Metehan Baltacı, and former Adana Demirspor President Murat Sancak, have been arrested. Murat Sancak's lawyer, Erdal Acar, issued a statement regarding the misinformation circulating in the public about the arrest decision, emphasizing that the allegations against his client lack legal basis and explained the money flow in detail.
The statement included the following remarks:
"Due to the speculative statements and misinformation circulating in the public regarding the arrest decision issued in the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against our client, it has become necessary to make this statement. First of all, it should be stated that; arrest is not a punitive measure and is merely a precautionary measure. At this stage, the presumption of innocence and the right not to be subjected to public disgrace remain valid as fundamental principles of law. While our client has full respect for the state and the judiciary, it has become necessary to legally evaluate the allegations in order to ensure the public is accurately informed and to prevent the distortion of the truth.
"THE PERCEPTION CREATED IN THE PUBLIC IS MERELY A MISINFORMATION"
In this context, we would like to clearly state that; there is no allegation against our client under Law No. 6222. Similarly, there is no accusation directed at our client under Law No. 7258. The perception created in the public regarding these two laws is merely a result of misinformation arising from news, comments, and speculative shares, and it does not correspond in any way with the official investigation file. Therefore, we would like to emphasize that unfounded news and comments should not be taken seriously.
"THERE IS NOT A SINGLE CONCRETE FINDING THAT THE MONEY WAS OBTAINED FROM AN ILLEGAL SOURCE"
Moreover, the allegation of "Money Laundering of Assets Acquired from Crime" attributed to our client is also devoid of legal basis. For this crime to occur under Article 282 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK);
• The asset must have been obtained from a predicate crime,
• There must be an action taken to conceal the source of this asset or to present it as legitimate,
• There must be concrete and definitive evidence establishing a connection between the "predicate crime" and our client, which is mandatory. However, in the current investigation file, there is not a single concrete finding indicating that the money was obtained from an illegal source. The MASAK report also does not contain any findings regarding the crime of Money Laundering of Assets Acquired from Crime. All of our client's financial transactions are clear, taxed, documented, and within the ordinary course of business, as evidenced by bank records. Therefore, due to the absence of a predicate crime, there is no legal basis for the money laundering allegation directed under Article 282 of the TCK.
"THERE IS NOT EVEN A SINGLE TRANSACTION TO HIDE"
The amounts presented in the public as "extraordinary financial movements worth millions of lira" are entirely the total commercial volume of dozens of companies owned by our client between 2017-2025, over eight years. Capital movements, share transfers, investment inflows and outflows, and company sales that occur as a natural part of business life are being presented as if there were an extraordinary financial accumulation, reduced to a single day. However, these transactions are regular, taxed, and officially recorded commercial activities spread over eight years. We would like to particularly state that all official financial records presented and to be presented to the relevant authorities during the later stages of the investigation will be shared with the public as the legal confidentiality is lifted. Our client does not have a single transaction to hide.
"COMPLETELY IN LINE WITH THE ORDINARY COURSE OF LIFE"
Again, the financial movements that are attempted to be characterized as "unexplained money" or "proceeds of crime" are entirely the result of legal, taxed, and documented commercial activities obtained from the companies that our client has established, grown, and sold to national and international investors over the years. These account movements, which span many years, are completely in line with the ordinary course of life for a businessman managing companies and operating in the sports sector. There is not a single sudden, untraceable, undocumented, or unexplainable transaction.
EXPLANATION REGARDING THE ALLEGATION OF "MONEY SENT TO 63 SUSPICIOUS ACCOUNTS"
It has also become necessary to make a statement regarding the allegation of "money sent to 63 suspicious accounts," which has been a topic of discussion in the public. The payments made to 58 different real persons, evaluated as "suspicious" in the investigation, were made between 2017-2024, totaling 1,314,135 TL, with amounts ranging from 500 TL to 5,000 TL. Among these payments are entirely social solidarity contributions such as educational support for students, medication and treatment expenses for patients, food aid for low-income families, and provision of wheelchairs. Criminalizing such support as "money laundering" or "illegal betting" is not only legally incorrect but also does not align with reality on a moral level. Additionally, R. Ö., who is listed, is a fan leader, and the total of 1,246,000 TL was covered by our client from his personal assets for 45 transactions between 30.03.2020 and 31.08.2023 for the management of fan organizations supported by the club. For example, E. E., who is also listed, is a relative of our client and was sent 475,000 TL as a loan in a single transaction on 25.06.2018, which was later returned to our client's account. M. G. is an IT personnel working insured in a company co-owned by our client, and a total of 495,000 TL was paid in 59 transactions between 13.09.2017 and 28.12.2023 for the provision of our client's social media accounts, related dues, and application fees.
The payments explained above are ordinary and reasonable transactions, clearly indicating the reasons for which they were made, between 2017-2023. These amounts, spread over six years, are ordinary and acceptable even for an average-income individual, let alone a businessman like our client. Therefore, criminalizing these money transfers, which are completely legitimate, documented, and legally explainable within the framework of the ordinary course of life, cannot be justified by reason or conscience.
"THERE IS NO ILLEGAL OR UNDOCUMENTED MONEY FLOW"
The fundamental point that must be emphasized legally is this: There is no evidence in the investigation file indicating that the money was obtained from an illegal source, nor is there any finding in the MASAK report in this regard. Subjecting legally obtained, taxed, and commercially valid income to allegations of "money laundering" is clearly contrary to both the material truth and the systematics of the TCK.
All of the client's financial transactions have been carried out transparently and in an auditable manner through personal accounts; there is no secret, unrecorded, or illegal money flow involved.
"NOT A SINGLE CENT THAT CANNOT BE ACCOUNTED FOR"
The client, their family, and their companies do not have a single cent that cannot be accounted for. The legal process is being meticulously followed by us, and the material truth will be revealed in all its clarity in the later stages of the trial. We respectfully inform the public that we have complete faith that the process is being conducted objectively by our state's judicial authorities and urge them not to give credence to false speculations.