Surge in Inspections Following Theft of Millions in TL After Seçil Erzan Incident – Latest Turkey News
Bank Fraud Exposed: Branch Manager and Deputy Manager Arrested
Following the highly publicized incident involving Seçil Erzan and a secret fund, bank directorates have ramped up inspections and investigations across all branches. Recently, an inspector was appointed to look into suspicious activity in the account of Utku Erdem, the Deputy Manager of the Antalya Side Branch.
Upon conducting an investigation in early April, bank inspectors discovered that Utku Erdem had been transferring a total of 205 million lira from customers’ accounts to acquaintances, bit by bit, over a span of three years, from 2021 to April 2024. Shockingly, these individuals then sent the money back to Utku Erdem’s account.
The bank promptly filed a criminal complaint, leading to an investigation by the Manavgat Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. In response, the District Gendarmerie Command JASAT Team took action by detaining Branch Manager Rahşan Eylem Bulut, Deputy Manager Utku Erdem, two bank employees, and four suspects identified as Utku Erdem’s close associates on April 6.
During questioning, Utku Erdem confessed to siphoning money from customers’ accounts since 2021 and routing it to his friends, only to have it returned to his own account. Shockingly, he claimed to have lost the embezzled funds through virtual betting sites and cryptocurrency exchanges abroad.
After completing their procedures at the gendarmerie, the suspects were transferred to the courthouse on April 8, where they were subsequently arrested following their statements. The case continues to unfold as authorities delve deeper into the fraudulent scheme.
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