Turkish Cypriot tycoon Asil Nadir assaulted in prison cell: Report

LONDON – Doğan News Agency

A file photo dated 19 January 2012 shows former business tycoon Asil Nadir arriving at the Old Bailey court in central London, Britain. Asil Nadir, who was on 23 August 2012 sentenced to ten years in prison for embezzling his company Polly Peck's funds between 1987 and 1990, has also been ordered to pay 5 million GBP (6.25 million euros) on a 02 November 2012 UK judge rule. AFP photo

Turkish Cypriot business tycoon Asil Nadir has allegedly been assaulted in prison by his mentally unbalanced cellmate, English tabloid the Sun reported Feb. 17. 

Nadir, nicknamed “the Sultan of Berkeley square,” is serving a 10-year prison sentence at Belmarsh high-security prison in South London, for stealing a total of 28.6 million pounds ($45 million) from Polly Peck International, which he built from a small textile firm into a conglomerate with interests in food, electronics and the leisure industry.

According to the Sun, Nadir has chided his cellmate for not showering and stinking of sweat, leading the unidentified inmate to allegedly assault Nadir. Authorities are concerned for the 71-year-old Nadir’s safety, the report said.