"Operation Iron Fist" Pummels Fortunes of 3 Iron-Steel Sector Gangs

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 30 June 2022)

                            "What took you so long?"

310 ten people have been taken into custody in "Operation Iron Fist",

aimed at 3 different crime groups suspected of manipulating the iron 

and steel market, in Ankara and 19 other provinces.  The statement of

Erol Evcil, one of those held for 8 days, will be taken last. He will

face about 700 questions, based on tapes, technical surveillance and

the statements of other suspects. Evcil has been involved in loansharking

and other crimes for decades. 

Two other crime group leaders, Hüseyin E. and Melih K., the owners

of different iron-steel companies, will also be interrogated last.  In

connection with the operation, the decision was made to seize Evcil's
private jet, worth 300 million TL ($1,800,000), which was brought

to Turkey from London last night.  

39 companies linked to the 3 crime groups have been taken over by

state administrators and 8,690 bank accounts tied to the suspects have

been frozen.  Additionally, 261 residences, houses, plots of land and

factories have been seized and 327 luxury vehicles towed to impound

lots.  About 500 million worth of gold, cash and jewels have been 

confiscated from the suspects, including $1 million from one factory's

cash box and 10 million TL from a wooden closet in another factory. 

12 unlicensed guns, 4,730 bullets and 3 pump-action rifles were

seized, as well, along with a plethora of digital material and documents.

Russian Skies: Great Semicircle Route & NATO HQS Photo Album

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 29 June 2022)

THY to the rescue click here for more about THY

flights to Russia.

 

            You can get there from here...eventually. 

Right after the Russia-Ukraine war began Turkish Airlines was forced

to fly a circuitous route to avoid Ukraine in order to reach Moscow.

This change has meant the need for 5 tons more fuel. Now, a trip

that used to take 2.5 hours is nearly 5 hours long.  Ticket prices have

also been affected and now a 3-day round-trip Istanbul-Moscow ticket

costs around 30,000 TL ($1,800).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 29 June 2022)

           If you're thinking of dropping (something) in...

While the NATO summit continued in Madrid, a surprise message

came from Moscow.  The Russian space agency Roscosmos published

a photo of the NATO summit site, complete with its coordinates, as well

as those of the NATO HQS in the USA, UK, France, Belgium and 

Germany. (!)

Roscosmos explained that "As 30 NATO leaders are gathering in

Madrid, we have prepared a photo album, as a gift, of the summit site

and the NATO HQS of five members. We've added the coordinates,

too."

                                 Great sense of humor. 

"Beat & Release": Vacuum Cleaner's Noise, and Cord, End a Marriage, in Ümraniye

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 28 June 2022) 

Kaya asked for clemency, claiming his wife was having 

an affair with the vacuum cleaner.

Last Thursday in Istanbul's Ümraniye district, Gürsel Kaya (61) called

the police, saying "I strangled my wife!  She's not breathing!"  When

police arrived at the scene they found Şengül Kaya (58), the mother of

3 children, lying motionless on the floor.  Şengül hanım was taken to 

a hospital but she died in the intensive care unit. 

Kaya was taken into custody and explained in his statement that "I'm

retired but I work as a security guard at night for extra money.  On the

day of the incident, I came home at 7 o'clock in the morning and went

to bed.  At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I got up and had breakfast with

my wife, who then started to clean the house.  But she went overboard

and made a lot of noise.  For some time now I've had a ringing sound

in my brain and I began to get unnerved by the noise of her cleaning."

"Consequently, I told her to stop cleaning but she insisted on continuing,

saying that guests would be coming two months from now (!) for our

son's engagement party.  We argued and in a moment of rage I pushed

her and she fell to the floor on her back.  Then I lost control and began

to strangle her, while she dug her fingernails into my skin to save herself.

I noticed the vacuum cleaner electrical cord, grabbed it and wrapped it

around my wife's neck.  When she passed out I called my son and then 

the police."

Kaya was put in jail by a judge's decision at the Anatolia Justice Palace

in Kartal.  

                                The real killer.

"Beat & Release": Size Matters - Police Discern X-Large Killer, in Istanbul-Sinop

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 26 June 2022)

                      Dressed to kill for any occasion. 

Batuhan Kurt (21) worked at a jewelry shop in Istanbul's Kapalıçarşı

(Covered Bazar) and he left his home on the morning of 19 March to

go to work.  However, a few blocks from his home Kurt was stabbed

by someone and lost his life.  Police reviewed video footage and saw

that there had been no conversation or argument between Kurt and his 

much bigger attacker. 

Kurt's family told police that he had no problems with anyone and

they could not explain why the attacker, wearing a mask and a hood

to hide his identity, would have stabbed Kurt. Police then examined

Kurt's telephone and saw that he had called one number, in particular,

many times but got no answer. The number in question was traced to

Esmanur G. (20) and it turned out that she and Kurt had been friends

for a while.  

Police began to question those close to Esmanur G. and noticed that

her father was a rather large man, involved in the furniture trade.  

Video from the crime scene and a taxi showed a match with Esmanur

G.'s father, who had left Istanbul on the day of the murder and went

to his hometown of Sinop.  This prompted police to examine the phones

of all the family members and they determined that 7 of them could

have information about the murder.

On 21 June, Istanbul police launched operations in Istanbul's Sarıyer,

Sultanbeyli and Ümraniye districts, as well as in Türkeli and Ayancık

districts in Sinop, taking Esmanur G. her father Hasan Göksu, her

mother and older brothers into custody.  Göksu was jailed and the others

were released pending trial. 

"Beat & Release": Gendarmerie's 'Gold Tooth' Operation Extracts Namesake Thief, in Denizli

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 25 June 2022)

tattoo thief click here for the story of a thief

whose tattoo got her nabbed by the police.

                              All that glitters is not gold.

In Denizli, Gendarmerie troops went to work on a case involving the

hoodwinking of Perihan Ç. (70), who lives in Sarayköy district.  Perihan

Ç. told the Gendarmerie that a woman with a gold tooth (!) had come to

her home under the guise of being a public prosecutor after calling her

by phone to say that all the money and jewelry in Perhihan hanım's home

was alleged to belong to the terror groups FETÖ and PKK. 

The golden-toothed fake prosecutor took a bag full of valuables from 

Perihan hanım, worth about 30,000 TL (about $1,775).  The Gendarmerie

scoured local security camera footage and identified the crook as Leman

Nuriyeva (22), a native of Azerbaijan.  Other video showed Nuriyeva 

changing 500 Euros she got from Perihan hanım into TL at an exchange

bureau.  

Subsequently, Nuriyeva went to a nightclub to spend the money and 

took a video of herself there, posting it on social media (!).  At this 

point, the Gendarmerie launched an operation dubbed "Altın Diş" 

(Gold Tooth) and arrested Nuriyeva on the evening of 21 June at the

nightclub.  She was processed at the Gendarmerie outpost but released

by a judge.  However, citing Nuriyeva's preparations to leave Turkey,

the prosecutor had her taken into custody again and the judge had her

jailed this time.  Two gold pieces and 7,000 TL found on Nuriyeva

were returned to Perihan hanım. 

Nuriyeva's mom, back in Azerbaijan, had no comment. 

"Army of Turkeys", 2,000-Strong, Vanquish Invading Grasshoppers, in Antalya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 24 June 2022)

grasshopper nightmare click here for their invasion 

of Hatay in 2020.

                    "To the battlefront, you turkeys!"

Grasshoppers have invaded 9,000 out of 20,000 'dekar' (one dekar =

1,000 square meters or .247 acres)  in the Eynif Pasture in İbradı 

district of Antalya, famous for its wild horses.  So, in order to battle

the grasshoppers biologically, villagers were given turkeys and after

two weeks of acclimatization the turkeys were turned loose in the

pasture. 

The 2,000-strong "army of turkeys" succeeded in reducing the 

grasshopper population in the pasture by half in just one week.  

Fikret Canbaş, the village chief of Orman village, explained that

the grasshoppers inflict great damage and in this regard, he noted

that "the Eynif Pasture is very big.  Every year we battle the

grasshoppers like this with 2-5,000 turkeys, which is much better

than using pesticides."  

Deniz İlaslan Çürek, the head of research and development for 

the local municipality said that "from time to time we used 

pesticides but they weren't effective.  In any case, we think the

biological approach is healthier."

"To Catch a Thief": Check Out the Wallet He Dropped, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 22 June 2022)

                                          Whoops!

In Bahçelievler, Istanbul, thieves who entered the home of Seyhan K.

on 5 June, fled with some valuables.  Police responded by looking

at street surveillance video footage and noticed that a person had

unknowingly dropped his wallet (!) while running. 

Police found the wallet, which belonged to one Alper İ. (27), who

has a police record of 15 crimes.  Police also determined that Alper İ.

had boarded the metrobus with two other people to go to Şirinevler

and that all three of them had used Alper İ.'s 'İstanbulkart' (metro card).

Based on this information, police identified Alper İ, Engin K. (age 22

and with 23 crime records) and Sami Ç.Ö. (14) as having committed the 

robbery at Seyhan K.'s home.  All three were taken into custody and

Alper İ. and Engin K. were jailed, while Sami Ç.Ö. was released on

judicial supervision. 

Captured thanks to Alper İ.'s 'Istanbulkart' generosity.

"Beat & Release": 'Femme Fatale' and 'Enforcer' Snared Duped 'Johns' in Istanbul 'Honey Trap'

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 20 June 2022)

                       Just an ordinary working couple.

Ş.K. (29), who lives in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, called the police on 23 March

to file a complaint about a woman and a man who entrapped him in a

"VIP Friendship" ploy and stole his cellphone at knifepoint.  According

to Ş.K., he met with the woman, Özlem Çalık, at his home based on an

advertisement Çalık had posted on social media. Soon afterwards, Recep

Kıraç (30) arrived to exclaim "what are you doing with my girlfriend!"

Ş.K. told police that Kıraç wounded him with the knife and stole his

cellphone. 

On 8 May, D.K. (31), who lives in the Sarıyer district of the city, called

police to say that he had fallen into a similar trap and was threatened 

with a knife, beaten and robbed of 3,500 TL, his wristwatch and his

cellphone.  Ten days later, M.D. (51), who lives in Güngören,  reported

to police that he had met with a woman who had put a "friendship" 

advertisement on social media.  A man then entered with a knife, beat

M.D. and had him transfer 8,000 TL via a bank money order, as well

as taking M.D.'s cellphone and 3,000 TL in cash. 

Police reviewed street security camera footage from the neighborhoods

where the incidents took place and determined that the 'femme fatale' 

was Çalık and her enforcer Kıraç.  As police continued their 

investigation, they learned that Çalık was meeting with one M.V. (56)

at a hotel in Esenyurt on 16 June.  

When police arrived at the hotel at 0230 hours, a fight was in process

in the lobby between Çalık and M.V., from whom Çalık had taken 

2,350 TL, and Kıraç was attacking M.V. with a knife.  Police took 

Çalık and Kıraç into custody and found M.V.'s money on Çalık's 

person.  The suspects were processed at the police station and it 

turned out that Çalık has a police record of 16 crimes and Kıraç 

has one for four crimes.  They were both jailed. 

                      Proven effective for centuries.

"Beat & Release": Ass-Backwards Defense by Pasture Lout, in Kozan

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 June 2022)

                             Has no interest in rodeos.

In Kozan district of Adana province, four years ago a dog belonging to 

E.C. (43) ravaged Elif Comert's lamb, sparking enmity between the two. 

Yesterday, in the summer pasture at Gökgöz village in Kozan, Comert

went to retrieve a lamb that had strayed into E.C.'s herd, which was 

passing by her home.  

E.C. attacked Comert and the result of the blows made Comert's face

nearly unrecognizable.  At the hospital, it was determined that she had

lost sight in one eye and her hearing in one ear.  As for E.C., he told

the public prosecutor that "I didn't do anything. While she was spitting

at me she fell off  her donkey." (!)

                              Happens to the best of 'em.

Comert, though, explained that "I cannot accept his statement that I

lost my balance on my donkey while I was spitting at him.  He is the

one who put me in this condition.  Would I be in this condition if  I'd

fallen off my donkey?! May justice find the truth.  Even my scalp is 

black and blue - that's not the result of falling off my donkey."

"I've been fed with liquids for five days and haven't had a bite of 

bread.  I'm living on fruit juice and milk.  May he get what he deserves.

God is my witness, what more can I say.  Have him speak the truth if

he's a Moslem.  I milk each day but haven't been able to since the

incident."

"Beat & Release": 3 Hardened Criminals, a Wedding Hall, and a Body, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 18 June 2022)

                        "I have no comment at this time."

A close friend of Fatih Demir (31), a resident of Esenyurt, Istanul, who

works in the textile sector, told police that Demir had left his home at

1330 hours on 24 March in order to meet with a friend but he was not

heard from again.  Police investigated and determined that İlhan Ç. (31)

and his brother Kurban Ç. (38), who run a rural wedding hall in 

Silivri, in western Istanbul, had come to Esenyurt in a car they rented

and took Demir from his home and took him to the wedding hall.

Demir's cell phone was shut off at 2200 hours.  At 2300 hours, the 

brothers returned to Esenyurt and threw Demir's phone in a place near

his home, continuing on to Kurban Ç.'s home in Selimpaşa.  Police 

reviewed the brothers' cell phone conversation and conducted a raid,

taking Ilhan Ç. (16 crime records), Kurban Ç. (15 crime records) and

wedding hall waiter Hakan G. (15 crime records) into custody.  

Last Tuesday, a sniffer dog was brought to the wedding hall and Demir's

body was found buried there.  The three suspects were jailed. 

"Friendly Skies" on Steroids! He's the Lone Passenger on 189-capacity Airplane

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberGlobal website, 16 June2022)

                 Talk about your leg and elbow room!

Last Monday writer Ethem Baran boarded a plane in Ankara en route 

to a book-signing appearance in Ağrı.  However, the plane was forced 

to land at Erzurum airport because of problems on the runway at Ağrı's

Ahmed-i Hani Airport.  

The plane made the emergency landing at Erzurum at 2030 hours and

the rest of the passengers were taken to Ağrı by bus.  Baran, though,

having missed his book-signing appearance, wanted to return to Ankara.

So at 2130 hours Baran boarded a 189-passenger capacity Anadolujet

airplane as the only passenger (!) and returned to Ankara at 2245 hours.

Baran explained that "I was supposed to go to Ağrı for a book-signing 

on 3 June but learned the day before that the flight had been canceled. 

So I got a ticket for a 6 June flight but, after boarding, that one was 

canceled, too, because of cracks in the Ağrı runway. On 13 June the

flight took off after a 50-minute delay but when we got to Ağrı the

runway problem still hadn't been resolved so we had to land at

Erzurum, which we did at 2030 hours.  They told us they'd take us to

Ağrı by bus but since I'd missed my book-signing I decided to return

to Ankara."

The airline officials arranged Baran's return ticket and put him back

on the same airplane but "when I realized I was the only passenger I

was quite surprised.  Both the pilot and the cabin crew were very nice

to me and it was nice to be the only passenger. They gave me food and

drinks and we chatted all the way back to Ankara."

Since Baran had the books he was to have signed in Ağrı with him, he 

signed them for the airplane crew as gifts.  He was born in Yozgat in 

1962.  After university in Ankara, Baran taught at Gazi university there.

His first book was published in 1991 and he won the Sait Faik Story 

Prize for his book "Döngel Dünya" in 2020.  

"Beat & Release": Tattooed Thief Victimized by Her Miniskirt, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 14 June 2022)

Perhaps a more demure skirt was called for on heist day.

Iranian businessman H.F. lives in a flat in Kağıthane, Istanbul, and on 

3 June someone entered his flat and stole 500,000 TL worth of jewelry,

along with $1,000 in cash.  Police checked the building's security camera

footage and noticed tattoos on both legs of a woman who chatted briefly

with the building's security guard. 

Reviewing their archive of pictures of criminals with tattoos, the police

determined that the woman was Hazar M. (23), who has a record of 22

similar crimes, and that her partner was Hünkar A. (30), who has a police

record of 18 crimes. In a raid in Beyoğlu, both suspects were taken into 

custody and jailed. 

"The Finger" Fingers Pakistanis for Deportation, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 13 June 2022)

            His defense: "I was just revealing my IQ."

Four foreigners gave "the finger" as they passed by a parked police car

in Istanbul and then shared the video on TikTok.  This prompted the 

police to determine that the four took the video in the Başakşehir

district of the city. 

A police raid was then conducted on the address where the Pakistanis

were staying and K.M., M.S., A.Z. and B.A. were taken into custody

and handed over to Turkish immigration officials for deportation.  In

recent days, other Pakistanis have given "the finger" in front of police

cars and they, too, were caught and deported. 

    Another of the suspects was doubly bold about his IQ. 

"Shock Therapy" Family-style, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet  Newspaper, 12 June 2022)

                        Unsuspecting outpatient.

The morning before last a remarkable incident occurred.  When her

doctor said "she needs a shock to get her over her illness", her relatives

made a plan to fire blanks at her in order to shake her up and restore 

her memory. (!) 

An individual hiding behind a minibus in Esenyurt, Istanbul, fired a

blank at two women passing by in the street and then fled.  Fortunately,

the women were not injured but someone captured the scene on a 

cellphone camera.  Subsequently, a local store's camera showed the 

women continuing on with their walk after the shooting.  

Of course, the footage went on social media, prompting police to take

action.  The shooter was identified by police and taken into custody. 

The suspect's female relatives came to the police station with him

and explained to police regarding another female relative that "she lost

her memory because of an accident.  To restore it the doctor said 'she 

has to experience a shock'.  So we made this plan to shock her."  The

shooter is one of her relatives.  No one involved filed a complaint. 

                    "Dr. Shock" zeroes in on the patient. 

"Beat & Release": Women's 'Beer Garden' Party Ends With Neighbors' Attack, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 10 June 2022)

                            "Cheers!", followed by jeers. 

Scenes of six women being beaten by their neighbors as they drank

beer in the garden of their apartment complex have sparked outrage on

social media.  Bad feelings between the women and their attackers

dated back to a dispute involving their children. 

The incident occurred on 7 June at about nine-thirty at night in the

apartment garden located on Enverpaşa Avenue in Esenyurt, Istanbul.  

The six women were drinking beer and chatting at a picnic table when

the members of another family, sitting opposite, came and the two

parties exchanged curses.  This was followed by physical attacks by

Z.A., C.A. and E.A on the women.   Both sides filed police complaints

and, based on video evidence, Z.A. and C.A. were arrested, while E.A.

was freed on judicial supervision. 

"Beat & Release": 'Peeping Tom' Eyes Woman in Shower, Husband Beats Him Up

türkçe links to original Turkish article and must-see

video.

(B Gazete website, 8 June 2022)

                          "You gambled and you lost."

In Maltepe, Istanbul, a peeper watching a woman take a shower through

a basement-floor window was caught by the woman's husband and beaten. 

The peeper tried to gain the enraged husband's forgiveness by kissing his 

hand and wailing "Really, I didn't know what I was doing, I swear. 

Please don't call the police!"

The incident happened in the morning the other day in Maltepe.  The 

woman was taking a shower in the basement apartment of the building 

when the peeper forced open the bathroom window to watch her.  She 

became aware of the surveillance and alerted her husband, who chased down

the peeper and began to beat him.  The police came and took the peeper into

custody. 

"American Dream" Formula: Mix Persistence with Truck Driving

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 7 June 2022)

Turkish Heartthrob as USA Trucker click here for

the story of a Turkish actor turned USA trucker.

                The American Dream, with icing on top.

Can Harmanşah of Niğde began to work as a gardener after finishing 

high school and then went to Eskişehir Anadolu University to study

management.  However, campus life was foreign to Harmanşah who 

noted that "it was a jarring step for me to go from the place I grew up to

a big university city."  Finally, his girlfriend said to him "you have 

no dreams!" and left him.  

Now, though, Harmanşah is living a version of the "American Dream".

He explained that "I couldn't get along in the university setting.  I didn't 

get their jokes or have any fun with them.  I felt that because of my 

Anatolian accent I was looked down upon.  But my older sister enrolled 

me in an English course and I decided to get into the "Work And Travel" 

program for young people to work in America.  I was rejected four times 

but finally I got a job in a restaurant.  I had to ride my bike for two and a 

half hours to get to work and I lost 12 kilograms.  Again, my personality 

and my clothes didn't serve me well, so my first "Work And Travel" 

attempt ended badly."

"My dad sold his car so I could go to Spain for an exchange program in

2014 and I began to come out of my shell.  When I returned to Turkey

I set out for America again and this time I worked as an organizer and

got a master's degree at Virginia Strayer University.  In 2016, I started

a company to meet and greet people coming to America at the airport. 

I used the profits to pay off my tuition of $20,000 and decided to settle

in America."

"The COVID pandemic of 2020 brought everything to a halt and I went

bankrupt.  But I took a truck driving course, got a license and started 

working for a trucking company in Ohio.  I noticed that the number of

people interested in truck driving jobs was increasing, so with some 

friends I started a course that will begin this month.  There are 5 

instructors and 32 students in the nearly 5-week course and the tuition

is $4-$5,000.  Before February you didn't have to take a course to be a

driver but there were a lot of accidents.  The law has now changed."

 

 

"Marilyn Monroe": Rare Footage of Star Being Slapped, in Mardin

türkçe links to original Turkish article and must-see

video

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 1 June 2022)

Mardin Marilyn see also this TNT report from 2018.

                    Attacked by a "misfit".

Melek Karahan, known in Mardin for her resemblance to American

movie star Marilyn Monroe, was slapped by horse owner Ş.E. in her

store because Melek hanım had posted a message on social media

criticizing those who let tourists ride horses, causing harm to the 

animals.  

The store security camera captured the confrontation, about which 

Melek hanım said "there are some youths who earn money by letting 

tourists ride horses, but they ought not to because the steps are broken 

and the horse can slip and fall.  I had no idea I would be attacked for

saying this. I don't know what I'll do now."

NOTE: Mardin city sits on a steep slope with stairs going up and 

down. 

Letting tourists ride horses has been banned by the Mardin municipality

but the trade continues nevertheless.  Melek hanım added that "they 

shouldn't let tourists ride the horses - just let them mount and dismount

and earn money from that.  The municipal police told me to take a video

of the horses being ridden so I did and then I posted the video on social

media."

                          A horse lover from way back.

"Beat & Release": Failed 'Black Widow' Pressed on With Other Scams

türkçe  links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 3 June 2022)

If at first you don't succeed, scam, scam again. 

Aslı Ceylan Aydoğdu (42)  and Fatih Ataman (48), who passed 

themselves off as "advisor to the President", "doctor", "lawyer", 

"public prosecutor" and "military officer" to bilk more than 30 

people out of 3 million TL (about $182,000), have been arrested 

in Adana. 

A few years ago in Izmir, Ceylan hanım, posing as a doctor, met 

businessman Abdülkadir D. and tried to poison him to get hold of his

$11 million fortune (!).  When Ceylan hanım and Abdülkadir D. were 

planning to marry, she gradually increased the dosage of his medicine,

putting Abdülkadir D. in a coma, which he somehow survived.  His

family filed a complaint about Ceylan hanım who was taken into custody

and charged with attempted murder.  However, she was not jailed and 

(evidently) found a way to carry on with her "pursuits". 

Adana police put physical and technical surveillance on Ceylan hanım,

who is a former pharmaceutical representative (!), and her boyfriend

Ataman, along with Mehmet K., Soner T. and Yunus A.   Ceylan hanım

targetted individuals charged with crimes related to FETÖ (Fethullah

Gülen Terror Organization), promising them pardons, given her 

position as "advisor to the President", in return for money.  As for 

Ataman, he told his targets that he was a former anti-terror Gendarmerie 

(JİTEM) colonel.  

The suspects would rent luxury homes in various provinces and attract 

businessmen, doctors and lawyers into their circle, only to bamboozle 

them out of their money by saying that Ceylan hanım was, this time, 

responsible for finances at the Presidential palace in Ankara.  In this way, 

she got large amounts of money from her dupes to invest in the financial

market, ultimately telling them that the deals didn't work out - and 

then the gang would pocket the money. 

Ceylan hanım, who barely made it out of high school, claimed to have

medical and law degrees, impressing her targets with her clothes outfits

and good diction, the result of a diction course.  Once the gang "earned"

enough money in one province, they would go to another.  Finally, at 

dawn on 27 May, police raided a number of addresses and took the 

suspects into custody, finding a plethora of legal documents and digital

material in the homes. 

                   Abdülkadir D. is the one on the right.