All defendants released in influencer's money laundering case

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has released all arrested suspects in a high-profile money laundering case involving a prominent influencer.

The indictment against influencer Dilan Polat and her husband, Engin Polat, widely recognized for their lavish and luxurious lifestyle, seeks a combined 20 to 40 years in prison.

With Dilan Polat freed in August following monthslong detention, Engin Polat, along with two family members and their accountants, had remained in custody.

The decision to release the remaining four came on the third day of the trial's inaugural hearing on Sept. 6, with all defendants vehemently denying the charges.

The case, which has captivated public attention since last November, has yet to yield a ruling regarding the couple's frozen assets.

The couple, accused of laundering illicit funds through their ventures in the beauty industry, had 27 companies placed under trusteeship and their luxury vehicles seized. Some of these confiscated cars are now being used by Istanbul law enforcement.

The charges also include establishing and managing a criminal organization, laundering assets derived from crimes and violating laws on organizing betting and games of chance.

Their legal troubles began after an investigation by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), which led to the seizure of the couple's assets.

The board's report alleges that the Polats issued fake invoices to the accounts of their first-degree relatives, falsely indicating business transactions with companies in liquidation.

These funds, reportedly amounting to millions of dollars, were transferred between companies owned by family members before being consolidated into a firm under Engin Polat's control.