10 Suspects Arrested in Eskişehir-Centered Internet Fraud Operation

12 suspects, who were wanted in a large-scale qualified fraud operation centered in Eskişehir, were caught red-handed. This operation, carried out as a result of months of meticulous tracking and intelligence gathering by Public Security Branch Directorate teams, led to the dismantling of one of the largest cybercrime networks of recent times. Security forces traced the criminal organizations targeting innocent citizens, especially on online platforms, and identified their physical addresses. As a result of precise intelligence work, it was planned to capture the suspects in simultaneous raids conducted in the Antalya, Isparta, and Aydın provinces. Arrest warrants had been issued for all suspects, and the police teams did not allow any suspect to escape during the operation.

When the details of the incident were examined, it was revealed that the fraudsters used highly sophisticated and technological methods. The criminal network reached large audiences through advertisements published on social media platforms and the search engine Google. The criminals, who promised citizens high-yield and risk-free investment opportunities through advertisements, directed the victims to fake investment applications they developed. When victims logged into the system, they encountered unrealistic and manipulated profit images within the application, thus being encouraged to invest more money. Seeing their profits multiply, the victims made continuous money transfers to different IBAN accounts under the direction of the fraudsters and eventually lost all their savings.

Financial data obtained from the investigation file revealed that the criminal organization in question had reached a massive volume of money. In the examinations, it was definitively determined that the complaining victims suffered a total loss of 3 milyon 890 bin 832 lira. However, it was understood that the total money movement in the bank accounts used by the suspects reached approximately 40 million lira and the transaction affected a much larger audience. Acting on the thought that the proceeds of crime were being laundered and hidden, the prosecutor's office seized 3 luxury vehicles worth approximately 7 milyon 500 bin lira and 1 real estate property as a result of the investigations. In addition, bank and crypto currency accounts worth approximately 20 million lira, which were determined to be where the fraud revenues were hidden and transferred, were immediately frozen and seized by court order.

The physical dimension of the operation also contained striking details, as the teams found a large amount of cash and digital materials at the suspects' addresses. Detailed searches were conducted on the suspects and in their residences during the raids launched simultaneously in three different provinces in the early hours of the morning on 30 Haziran. In these searches, 21 bin 700 Euro and 195 bin Türk Lirası cash, considered to be linked to foreign connections, were seized. In addition, numerous technological devices, including 12 mobile phones, 1 laptop computer, 1 tablet computer, and 3 flash drives, which were determined to have been used in the planning and execution of the digital fraud, were recorded as criminal evidence. During the operation, 1 blank-firing gun, 1 SIM card, and 11 credit cards registered in the suspect's name, which the organization members used for security and other purposes, were also confiscated by the police teams for examination.

The 12 suspects, who were taken into custody, were referred to the courthouse after their interrogation processes were completed and were brought before a judge. Considering the strength of the evidence and the nature of the crime, the court decided to arrest 10 of the 12 suspects and send them to prison. The remaining 2 suspects were released under judicial control conditions and a ban on leaving the country. This operation once again proved the determination of the security forces and their expertise in illuminating technological crime elements in the fight against cybercrimes. While authorities warn citizens to be vigilant against suspicious investment offers coming through social media with the promise of high earnings, they advised deceived victims to apply to the prosecutor's offices and law enforcement forces as soon as possible.