Turkish prosecutor seeks up to 40,000 years in jail for crypto exchange founder

In their final sentencing opinion (“mütalaa”), a Turkish prosecutor has demanded up to 40,462 years in prison for the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Thodex, Faruk Fatih Özer, over the charges of “aggravated fraud,” “forming a criminal organization,” and “money laundering.” Özer who fled Turkey with about $2 billion in 2021 was detained in Albania last year and extradited to Turkey.

Wednesday July 19 2023 05:24 pm

Duvar English

A Turkish prosecutor seeks from 12,142 years up to 40,462 years in prison for the founder of the Turkish cryptocurrency exchange Thodex, Faruk Fatih Özer, over the charges of “aggravated fraud,” “forming a criminal organization,” and “money laundering.”

During a hearing of the case on July 18 held at Anatolia 9th High Criminal Court, the prosecutor shared their final sentencing opinion (“mütalaa”) for the case where 21 defendants, seven of whom are in detention, are on trial.

In the opinion, the prosecutor said 2017 victims suffered a loss of 257 million liras and the defendants transferred 357 million liras to their own accounts..

Özer left Turkey for Albania with about $2 billion in 2021, leaving thousands of people frauded behind. He was detained in Albania on Aug. 30, 2022 and extradited to Turkey on April 20.