Couple sentenced to 90 years in prison over defrauding foreigners

Mesut Hasan Benli - ANKARA

A court has sentenced the owner of a visa consultancy company and his wife to a total of 90 years in prison over defrauding foreign people by imitating the official website of the top migration body.

The company's owner, Sinan G., and his wife, Pınar G., created multiple fake websites resembling the official site of the Directorate of Migration Management of the Interior Ministry and using its emblems.

Foreigners living in the country unwittingly logged into the fake websites to apply for an appointment to extend their residence and work permits sharing personal information like IDs and passports.

Company employees later called the victims, informing them that appointments had been created for them, but approval required a fee to be paid within in a short time.

The victims deposited the requested fees into provided bank accounts. When they went to the directorate’s offices on their so-called appointment dates, they learned the deposited accounts were unrelated with the migration body.

Numerous victims from various nationalities filed criminal complaints to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The court sentenced Sinan G. and Pınar G. to a total of 90 years in prison for "aggravated fraud." The court sentenced six other suspects to three years and nine months each.