Former model who killed Turkish TV host reportedly said money transferred from US through her

Ayşe Arman - ISTANBUL

Filiz Aker, the former model who killed popular TV host Vatan Şaşmaz on Aug. 27 in Istanbul, had reportedly said two people in the U.S. had transferred money through her, according to one of her close friends.

In an interview, Sevilay Öztürk said her friend, Aker, who committed suicide right after murdering Şaşmaz, had told her that two men, called “Josie” and “Eddie,” had transferred money from the U.S. through her in exchange for commission.  

Öztürk said Eddie and Josie were the best friends of one of Aker’s boyfriend, who, according to the model, lived in the U.K.

“She said she had a boyfriend and that he was a miner. She did not say what his name was, just said he was British. She was very happy and told me she went on holidays with him,” Öztürk said.

But Aker had told Öztürk that the British boyfriend had died in an accident, and his friends Eddie and Josie were very supportive while she was grieving.  

Öztürk said she never had met those men but heard their names several times, noting that they were imaginary people in Aker’s mind.

According to Öztürk, Aker had owed her $20,000 but never repaid her, with her debt growing more after travelling to New York to meet the men in the U.S., who never came to meet them. Öztürk also said they stayed in a luxury hotel, of which Öztürk had covered the expenses, mounting Aker’s debt to her friend.   

Öztürk also said Aker tried to kill herself during their New York trip but had failed. 

She added that the murder of Şaşmaz was not because of a love affair.

Şaşmaz was killed late on Aug. 27 at Beşiktaş’s luxurious Conrad Hotel in a hotel room by Aker. Aker is reported to have shot Şaşmaz in his back four times before committing suicide with a single bullet to her head.