Istanbul authorities uncover massive organized money laundering network

Authorities in Istanbul have uncovered a massive organized crime network attempting to infiltrate the financial system through money laundering and digital fraud. Following a technical and physical investigation launched in 2021 by the Istanbul Police Department and coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, investigators identified 306 suspects and 248 companies linked to the syndicate.

The network, allegedly led by Cihan Erdoğmuş and accountant Pınar Jamali, utilized two primary methods to move illicit funds. First, the group created fraudulent copies of GSM operator and e-commerce websites to steal citizens' credit card information, performing unauthorized transactions significantly larger than typical purchase amounts. Second, they laundered foreign