Tunceli cyber‑fraud ring busted, 11 arrested

Turkish law enforcement dismantled a cyber‑investment fraud network that originated in Tunceli. The scheme lured victims via social‑media ads promising high returns, prompting them to transfer a total of 508,233 TL to six bank accounts. Investigators identified 16 suspects and uncovered eight shell companies, estimating the operation handled roughly 25‑26 million TL in illicit transactions.

Coordinated raids were carried out in Istanbul, Gaziantep, Kocaeli, Izmir, Uşak and Siirt. Fourteen suspects were detained; eleven were placed in pre‑trial detention, three were released under judicial control and two, located abroad, were issued arrest warrants. Authorities seized extensive digital evidence, including computers, smartphones, SIM cards, USB drives, hard disks, tablets and dozens of bank‑card records.

The operation highlights the growing sophistication of online financial scams in Turkey and the capacity of the police and prosecutor’s offices to conduct multi‑province actions against organized cyber‑crime.