Court releases influencer Dilan Polat pending trial

ISTANBUL

An Istanbul court has ordered the release of influencer Dilan Polat, who was arrested with her husband, Engin Polat, last November as part of a large-scale money laundering investigation.

The decision on Aug. 19 follows an objection to her continued detention.

The indictment against the couple seeks a combined 20 to 40 years in prison. The charges include establishing and managing a criminal organization, laundering assets derived from crimes and violating laws on organizing betting and games of chance.

Despite Dilan Polat’s release, her husband remains in detention.

The high-profile couple, widely recognized for their lavish and luxurious lifestyle, is scheduled to stand trial on Sept. 4.

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.

Authorities confirmed that the laundered money was used to purchase numerous real estate properties and luxury vehicles, some of which were later repurposed as police cars or displayed in Istanbul's Taksim Square.

The report also said Dilan Polat may have used fraudulent documents to reduce the tax base on income from her online sales, and that the couple used beauty centers and products as part of their money laundering operations.

Their arrest dominated headlines across Türkiye last year, sparking a broader crackdown on other influencers, with investigations and asset seizures extending to dozens of individuals in the social media world.