Will they be evacuated? The long-awaited main report of MASAK about the Polat couple has emerged.

18.07.2024 21:10

The long-awaited main report of MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board) regarding the couple Dilan and Engin Polat, who are detained within the scope of the "money laundering" crime, has been released. The 909-page report reveals that the words "organization," "black money," "illegal gambling," and other phenomena related to money transfer are not mentioned. The report includes tax evasion/avoidance and fake invoices. According to MASAK's report, Dilan Polat is only accused of "tax and fake invoice" crime. It is estimated that Polat may be released based on the report.

After the operation carried out in 6 provinces based in Istanbul, the main report of MASAK was released, in which Dilan Polat and her husband Engin Polat were also arrested. The MASAK Main Report, which was eagerly awaited for Dilan and Engin Polat, has emerged. The details in the 909-page report did not go unnoticed.



There is no mention of organization, black money, illegal betting, or money transfer with other influencers in the report, according to journalist Emrullah Erdinç. The report includes tax evasion/avoidance, fake (nylon) invoices, and smuggling (keeping double books).



According to the report, Dilan Polat has no authority other than partnership in the companies under investigation, and all authority and decision-making processes are in the hands of Engin Polat and Sezgin Polat. It is stated that she is not responsible for the amount that will be revealed as the loss of the Treasury, and her sales have increased significantly between 2020-2023, especially peaking in 2023. It is also mentioned that the source of income from sales is known and that her assets are consistent with her income.



To avoid paying taxes, shell companies were established, fake invoices were issued, and Engin Polat, Sezgin Polat, and Ahmet Gün were responsible for these actions, according to the report.



According to journalist Erdinç, Dilan Polat is only accused of "tax and fake invoice" from the suspicions mentioned in the initial report of MASAK. Erdinç stated that it has been reported that the Polat couple evaded taxes and caused damage to the Treasury through fake invoices. Erdinç said, "According to this report and indictment, Dilan Polat should be released because a decision has been made for them to be tried without detention for the tax crime."



In the operations carried out in 6 provinces, including Istanbul, on November 1, 2023, and afterwards, 24 suspects, including Dilan Polat and her husband Engin Polat, were detained. As part of the investigation, digital materials and notebooks were seized during the searches conducted in their companies, and a preliminary examination report was prepared by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) regarding the suspects. The report revealed that there was an inflow of 200 million liras through fake invoices issued in exchange for so-called trade from 3 liquidated companies to companies owned by family members.



It was determined that the money was transferred among the companies owned by family members, and in the final stage, it was collected in Milda Real Estate, owned by Engin Polat, and used to purchase real estate and numerous vehicles. After this determination, the Istanbul Financial Crimes Investigation Branch teams identified the identities of the suspects and carried out simultaneous operations in 43 addresses in Istanbul, Ankara, Yalova, Ordu, Kırklareli, and Manisa. As part of the ongoing investigation, the teams found that a medical company owned by Dilan and Engin Polat gave the naming rights to another company in Ankara, and an attempt was made to transfer 1 million 800 thousand liras in the account of this company to the personal accounts of the partners.



16 of the suspects, including Dilan Polat, Engin Polat, and Sıla Doğu, were arrested. The court ruled for the appointment of trustees to 27 companies. In the monthly detention review on June 14, the Peace Criminal Court ruled for the release of Dilan Polat's siblings Can and Sinem Sıla Doğu, Can Polat, Gökay Bekar, Halit Polat, Harun Abak, Metin Yılmaz, Mustafa Özalp, Nilgün Yılmaz, Uğurcan Ayyıldız, and Zekai Tepe under judicial control measures, while the detention of the other 5 suspects was continued.



The indictment prepared by the Anatolian Republic Prosecutor's Office after the completion of the investigation states that illegally obtained money was laundered by transferring it to the system without being entered through the "cold wallet method". It is stated that the organization, during these activities, also engaged in some real commercial activities thanks to the fame and recognition they achieved in a short period of time, in order to make it difficult to track and control, which is the most distinctive aspect of money laundering crimes.

The indictment states that multiple companies were established to create the image that the illegal betting money was being laundered and that the enrichment was coming from a real trade, and that fake invoices regarding non-existent business and transactions were issued and used during the activities of these companies, and that secret external records were kept outside the legally required books. The indictment also requests the seizure of all the assets, including real estate, vehicles, and similar assets, owned by the 31 companies included in the investigation and the transfer of ownership to the public.

In the indictment, Dilan and Engin Polat are requested to be sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison, 20 years each, for the crimes of "establishing and managing an organization with the aim of committing a crime," "money laundering of assets derived from crime," and "violation of the Law on Organization of Betting and Games of Chance in Football and Other Sports Competitions." The indictment also envisages the punishment of other suspects with varying prison sentences for different crimes. The indictment, approved by the Prosecutor's Office, was returned by the Anadolu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance, stating that the Heavy Penal Court is the competent court to conduct the trial.

The objection made by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, stating that "the competent court can be determined based on the main penalty and that the increase provision is not the basis for determining the court's jurisdiction," was accepted by the Anadolu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.