Bank manager in court for allegedly defrauding football players

Özge Eğrikar - İSTANBUL

The trail process has begun against a manager of a private bank in Istanbul, who has been accused of defrauding 18 individuals, including famous football players, and faced a potential sentence of 216 years in jail.

Seçil Erzan, the bank manager, stands accused of engaging in fraudulent activities involving 18 individuals, for an estimated sum of $25 million, among them prominent football players Arda Turan, Fernando Muslera, Emre Belözoğlu, Selçuk İnan and Emre Çolak.

The alleged scheme involved the dissemination of misleading information, wherein Erzan claimed the existence of a dependable investment fund offering substantial returns, and further asserted the inclusion of notable figures such as technical director Fatih Terim within said fund.

The prosecutor's office initiated an inquiry which resulted in the filing of a lawsuit against Erzan on charges of “qualified fraud” and “forgery of private documents,” carrying a potential jail sentence ranging from 66 to 216 years.

During her defense at the hearing, Erzan asserted that the root cause of the situation can be attributed to unnecessary self-confidence and taking on unnecessary responsibilities.

According to Erzan, she provided financial assistance to Galatasaray football players throughout her close association with them. "I already exerted my utmost effort in this regard. However, I did not personally engage in embezzlement to acquire funds from anyone. The actions of these individuals driven by their desire for personal gain has brought me to this state," Erzan stressed.

Erzan further stated, "All individuals were voluntarily contributing. In instances where I was unable to fulfill my commitment, I would resort to obtaining a loan and subsequently repaying it. The shared objective among us was to generate financial gain. I provided accurate guidance."

One of the plaintiffs, footballer Çolak, stated, "Seçil Erzan misled me by claiming to provide an investment fund. The bank, she informed us, was a corporate fund. I trusted the institutionalism. I want justice to be served."

The court, in rendering an interim ruling, upheld Erzan's ongoing detention.