Turkey-UK: Gambling Web site linked to money laundering

An investigation into an England-based Web site, whose owners work from within Turkey targeting Turkish gamblers, has revealed that 600,000 Turks have lost money on the Web site, which has laundered the money to several Swiss bank accounts.

The Web site, superbahis.com, has a YTL 20 membership fee. Computers with the Web site's member database were seized by police from a building that is home to "Shopping TV."
Once the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) noticed that the Web site launders money from Turkey through online betting via an England-based Web site, the office of the chief public prosecution in İstanbul took action. An operation was begun on May 27, 2008 by İstanbul police in İstanbul, Ankara, İzmir, Mersin and Trabzon simultaneously. Thirty-nine people, two of them women, were taken into custody. Among the detainees are Aydın A. and his brother, Turgay A., owners of superbahis.com and "Shopping TV." The police have reportedly confiscated 70 computers, seven hard drives, 1,115 DVDs and CDs, 33 memory sticks, 134 credit cards and many documents found in the course of a search of the detainees' houses and workplaces. The police also confiscated one kilogram of gold, TRY 368,800, $10,371 and 4,550 euros.

Eleven of the suspects were released following interrogation while 28 suspects were transferred to the İstanbul Court of Justice and stand accused of establishing a criminal organization, being intermediaries in betting and gambling, and laundering money.

The suspects allegedly illegally collected TRY 7 million. A report drafted by MASAK claims the money acquired through gambling was first transferred to England and then to the suspects' bank accounts in Switzerland or to "Shopping TV" in payment for its services in an attempt to launder the money. MASAK is continuing to account for all the funds.

In connection with this case is that of Barış Kum, who had had reportedly won up to TRY 2,750,000 through online gambling on superbahis.com with money he collected from family and friends. He allegedly committed suicide on Nov. 6, 2006 after losing all his earnings. His family has sued the Web site over his death.

Source: Zaman