Hoodwinker Escapes to Uruguay

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 15 March 2018)


      Latter-day virtual Bonnie and Clyde.

Mehmet Aydın, who bilked tens of thousands of people with his
"Çiftlik Bank" (Farm Bank) internet site's promise of high
profits, has a temporary Uruguayan ID card.  The address Aydın
gave to his lawyers is "Barrio Carrasco Av. Rivera 72/32
Montevideo, Uruguay."  Aydın obtained the temporary ID card
on 9 August 2017.

Yesterday, Aydın's 20-year-old wife Sıla Aydın surrendered to
the Geyve (district in Sakarya province) Public Prosecutor. Also,
the firm's CEO Cemal Çolak was arrested.  In total, Aydın
collected about 500 million TL (about $100 million) from
77,843 individuals in various provinces.  The Çiftlik Bank
distributed 393.3 million TL to 62,877 members and the rest of
the money was deposited in Aydın and his wife's bank account.

In December 2017, Aydın turned over control of the company
to others and disappeared with millions of lira.  CHP Bursa
Parliamentarian Erkan Aydın has asked Customs and Trade
Minister Bülent Tüfenkçi how Aydın could have been allowed
to leave the country.  Meanwhile, the Istanbul Anatolia Public
Prosecutor has appointed a caretaker for all Çiftlik Bank offices
in Turkey.