"Change & Release": Fraudster Was Planning Face-Change Just Before Capture, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 October 2026)

          M.H.A. was ready to pull the esthetic trigger!

The Robbery Bureau of the Istanbul Police Department’s Public 

Security Branch launched an operation to apprehend an individual 

identified as M.H.A., who is alleged to have orchestrated fraudulent

schemes in Germany, generating approximately 4 billion TL (about

$80 million)  in illicit proceeds. 

It was determined that the suspect, who faces a finalized prison 

sentence and ongoing legal proceedings, had been using forged 

documents to conceal his identity. Police discovered that M.H.A. 

was planning to undergo cosmetic surgery to alter his facial features (!); 

he was captured during an operation while attempting to schedule 

the procedure using a fake identity. 

Expanding the scope of the investigation, authorities tracked down 

seven other individuals—A.Y., M.K., M.C.S., İ.K., O.B., Ö.F.A., and T.A.

suspected of acting in collusion with M.H.A. These seven suspects were 

taken into custody during raids on various properties. Searches of these 

locations yielded numerous handguns, long-barreled automatic weapons, 

narcotics, and mobile phones believed to have been used in the fraudulent 

activities. The investigation further revealed that the suspects had rented 

several properties in the Maltepe district, converting them into call centers 

to carry out scams targeting individuals in Germany.

"Loose Lips & (No) Release": 13 Years Later, Killer's Related Threats Led to His Arrest, in Samsun

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(DHA News Agency, 16 October 2026)

Murat bey should have locked his lips with his mustache.

It has emerged that Murat Atasoy—one of two suspects in the 

murder of 50-year-old Arif Yılmaz, who was killed 13 years ago 

in the Çarşamba district of Samsun—had, on various occasions 

in the years following the crime, told people with whom he had 

arguments or altercations in the neighborhood:

 "You will end up just like Arif." (!)

The case concerning the death of Arif Yılmaz—whose body was

discovered on June 1, 2013, in the Beyyenice neighborhood of 

Çarşamba, bearing gunshot wounds to his head, leg, and chest—

has been reopened. The incident was re-examined in its entirety 

through a coordinated effort involving the Department for the 

Investigation of Unsolved Crimes (under the Ministry of Justice’s 

General Directorate of Criminal Affairs), the Çarşamba Crime 

Investigation Team (JASAT) of Samsun'sProvincial Gendarmerie 

Command, and the Çarşamba Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. 

Leveraging advancements in technology, investigators re-analyzed 

existing evidence, witness testimonies, and historical communication

(HTS) records. Communication data belonging to 28 individuals—

including some who had previously been cleared of suspicion—

were cross-referenced and examined.

Speaking to DHA, Arif Yılmaz’s older sister, Nefise Yılmaz, said, 

“We sent him off to the field with the livestock at 10:15. When he

hadn’t returned home by around 17:00, I grew worried. We have 

a field by the riverbank. I told my uncle that Arif hadn’t come home,

so he went out to look for him. We couldn’t find him in the field. 

The villagers all joined the search; they scoured the entire area. 

It was S.Y. and Y.G. who found him." 

"TNT Maritime Creatures Edition": Whale and Shark Snagged in Different Nets; Only the Shark Escaped

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 15 October 2026)

              Even whales need to know what time it is.

American citizen Richard James Schueler, nicknamed "The Whale" (!) 

—who was wanted via an Interpol Red Notice for large-scale 

cryptocurrency fraud—has been captured in Istanbul. Teams from the 

Istanbul Police Department’s Intelligence Branch and the Financial 

Crimes Investigation Branch, with support from the National 

Intelligence Organization (MİT), launched an operation to apprehend 

individuals wanted internationally. 

Investigations revealed that Schueler, who was the subject of an Interpol 

Red Notice for cryptocurrency fraud, was in Istanbul. During an operation 

conducted yesterday morning at an address in Beşiktaş, authorities 

apprehended Schueler—alleged to have established an international 

cryptocurrency fraud network with operations linked to the United States, 

Finland, and Spain—along with his wife, A.K. 

Also seized at the residence were 64 luxury-brand watches, 20 gold 

bracelets, 7 gold chain necklaces, $600,000 in cash, and 2,600 Euros.

"Whale" seen here surrendering to a Turkish maritime police

squad member.

*******************************************************

türkçe  links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 15 October 2026)

Shark tanning a bit before return to sea.

Off the coast of Enez in Edirne, a 'bluntnose sixgill' shark—weighing 

350 kilograms and measuring 2.5 meters in length (!)—became 

entangled in the nets of local fishermen. The giant shark was hoisted 

onto the boat with the help of a crane, but instead of being brought to

 shore, it was released back into its natural habitat: the sea. 

Fisherman Emin Hasan Topal, who had set out from the Enez coast, 

noticed that a large creature had become caught in his nets. With the 

assistance of his crew, and after an hour-long effort, they managed to 

free the shark—a bluntnose sixgill measuring approximately 2.5 meters 

and weighing 350 kilograms. 

Once on board, the shark was subsequently returned to the sea. Noting 

that this was the first time he had ever caught a shark of such size, Emin 

Hasan Topal said, "It was a struggle to get the shark, which had become 

trapped in our nets, onto the boat using a hoist. We had never seen one 

this big before; we were quite taken aback. After freeing it from the nets, 

we released it back into the sea."

"Steel & Release": Turkish Couple Excel in Ironman Competition, in Hawaii

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 14 October 2026)

  Iron supplements the key to a successful marriage.

At the world championship Ironman competition held in Kalua-

Kona in Hawaii, Turkey was represented by married couple

Merve and Murat Güney. 

In the women's age 40-44 category, Merve hanım placed 9th

with a time of 10 hours, 29 minutes and 35 seconds (!). Her

husband Murat Güney, also competing in the age 40-44 men's

category, placed 28th among 184 competitors. After the meet,

the Turkish couple proudly displayed the Turkish flag. 

They deserve another medal for getting to Hawaii 

from Turkey.

"Beet & Release": Four Family Members Shot Dead in Sugar Beet Dispute, in Kastamonu

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 13 October 2026)

            Ouch. Price of beets much too high.

Four members of the same family lost their lives in an armed altercation 

in  sugar beet field (!) between two families in the Taşköprü district of 

Kastamonu. 

The incident took place in the evening in the district's Akdeğirmen 

village. Allegedly, an argument broke out between the two families in a 

sugar beet field for reasons yet to be determined. As the dispute escalated 

quickly into a fight, Çetin A. opened fire with a pistol he was carrying. 

Sefa Karasu, İlhan Karasu, Ali Karasu, and Halit Karasu were critically 

injured in the shooting. Medical and Gendarmerie teams were dispatched 

to the scene following reports of the incident. Gendarmerie teams 

launched an operation to apprehend the suspect, Çetin A., who had fled

after the incident. Çetin A. subsequently surrendered to Gendarmerie 

teams in Kastamonu city.

"Ring & Release": Thieves Stole "Japonese Peace Bell" and Sold It For Scrap, in Yalova

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 12 October 2026)

                         The bell tolls for thee, Yalova!

One of the three suspects involved in the theft of the 37-year-old 

'Japanese Peace Bell'—a symbol of the friendship and sister-city ties 

between Yalova and the Japanese city of Tonami—has been caught. 

It was discovered that the 87-kilogram bell had been sold to a scrap 

dealer for 26,000 liras (about $500) (!)

The Japanese Peace Bell, located in the park on Cengiz Koçal Avenue 

in the Süleyman Bey Neighborhood, was stolen on September 14. 

Following a complaint filed by the Yalova Municipality Parks and 

Gardens Directorate, teams from the Provincial Security Directorate’s 

Public Order Branch launched an investigation. 

After examining footage from the City Security Management System 

(KGYS), the teams identified the suspects. According to the camera 

footage, the three suspects left a house in the Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood 

around 03:28 on the day of the incident. Traveling on a gray, three-wheeled 

electric bicycle without a license plate, they arrived at the park where the 

bell was located at 03:57.

Perfect for large bell-stealing...until the battery runs out!

Allegedly, the suspects cut the bell's handle using metal shears they had 

brought with them. They then loaded the 87-kilogram bell onto the cargo 

bed of the electric bicycle and fled the scene. It was also revealed that the 

electric bicycle ran out of battery (!) on a slope in the neighborhood while 

they were transporting the bell; consequently, they moved the bell to the 

Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood and covered the front of the electric bicycle 

with cardboard to evade police detection.

As a result of physical surveillance and investigations, one of the three 

suspects was apprehended and taken into custody. It was discovered that 

the bell had been sold to a scrap dealer in the Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood for 

26,000 liras about a week after the theft. The apprehended suspect 

received a 4,500-lira share from the sale.

While efforts to apprehend two suspects linked to the incident are ongoing, 

searches continue to locate the 37-year-old Japanese Peace Bell—a symbol 

of the friendship and sister-city ties between Yalova and its Japanese sister 

city, Tonami.

"Shimmy & Release": Century-old British Law Banned Belly Dancers at Moslem Weddings in Cyprus...Until Now

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 11 October 2026)

                          Dance card full henceforth!

A Turkish Cypriot father living in the Greek Cypriot-administered 

city of Larnaca wanted to hire a female singer and a belly dancer for 

his 24-year-old daughter's wedding last November. While obtaining 

the necessary marriage documents, the issue of the female singer and 

belly dancer arose. Greek Cypriot officials warned him, citing Article 97 

of the penal code—a legacy of the British colonial era titled "Muslim 

Entertainments" that applied exclusively to Muslims—stating that 

"bringing a female singer and a belly dancer to a Muslim wedding is 

prohibited and punishable by one month in prison or a fine." The law’s 

definition of a "belly dancer" included the description: "a woman who 

engages in prostitution, singing, and dancing." (!)

Sort of like "training" for the bride and groom.

The father initially cancelled the wedding and decided to hold it in 

another country where "having a belly dancer perform" was not 

prohibited; however, acting on his lawyers' advice, he filed a complaint 

against the Greek Cypriot administration with the European Court of 

Human Rights (ECHR). The Court accepted the application and requested 

a defense from the Greek Cypriot Attorney General's Office. The Attorney 

General's Office acknowledged the fault and reported that parliamentary 

work had begun to amend the law dating back to the British colonial era. 

The Greek Cypriot government pursued an amicable settlement with the 

Turkish Cypriot father, agreeing to pay a total of 5,000 euros—comprising 

3,500 euros in compensation and 1,500 euros for legal costs. The ECHR 

struck the case from its docket after the Turkish Cypriot father accepted 

the settlement.