Istanbul prosecutors investigating Türkiye’s investment fund collapse have ordered four more detentions, including a deputy chairman of the banking regulator, Turkish media reported on Saturday evening. Two of the four had been questioned and released earlier in the probe.
According to Sözcü, A Haber and Bloomberg HT, the four are Muhammet Erişen, deputy chairman of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK); the board chairman of the brokerage Bulls Yatırım; Yunus Arıncı, described by Bloomberg HT and A Haber as a former general manager of Takasbank; and the board chairman of the mining company Ruzy Madencilik.
Two suspects back in custody
The Bulls Yatırım chairman and Arıncı were taken back into custody, NTV, Sözcü and Bloomberg HT reported. The Bulls Yatırım chairman had been released on 23 September after giving a statement to prosecutors, while Arıncı had been freed under a ban on leaving the country and an obligation to report regularly to the authorities, according to NTV and Bloomberg HT.
Takasbank is the clearing and settlement bank of the Borsa İstanbul group, and the BDDK supervises Turkish banks. None of the reports set out specific allegations against the four, and no statements from them or their lawyers were reported.
The investigation is being run by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, through its bureau for terrorism financing and money laundering crimes, according to A Haber and Sözcü.
A widening probe
The new detentions follow a series of arrests in the past week. Former Family and Social Services Minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya was arrested this week, and former acting Capital Markets Board (SPK) chairman Enver Usca was among former SPK and BDDK officials who were arrested, NTV and Sözcü reported.
Earlier, Borsa İstanbul’s general manager was detained and then arrested on a bribery charge, and 37 suspects were reported to have returned 18.34 billion lira. The probe follows the SPK’s September decision to halt and liquidate 131 investment funds; for payouts to investors, see our report on the 40.8 billion lira paid so far.
Sources
- Fon soruşturmasında 4 isim daha gözaltına alındı (Sözcü)
- Eski Takasbank Genel Müdürü Arıncı yeniden gözaltında (Bloomberg HT)
- Fon soruşturmasında 4 isim gözaltında: Bulls Yatırım Başkanı ve eski Takasbank Genel Müdürü de listede (A Haber)
- Fon soruşturması: Bulls Yatırım Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı ve Takasbank Genel Müdürü yeniden gözaltında (NTV)
Photo: CeeGee / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
