Glam financial institution supervisor sobs as she’s jailed for 102 years for fooling footballers in £33m rip-off
A bank manager burst into tears after she was handed a jail sentence of more than 100 years for running a high-profit secret fund that defrauded footballers including an ex-Premier League star
A bank manager burst into tears after she was jailed for more than 100 years for running a high profit secret fund that defrauded star footballers and other wealthy clients.
Secil Erzan, former manager of Denizbank’s Florya branch in Turkey, was sentenced to 102 years and four months in Istanbul yesterday, December 1, for qualified fraud, forgery in special documents and abuse of trust. Prosecutors said she targeted more than 30 people by promising very high returns from a fund that did not officially exist at the bank.
Victims included former Premier League midfielder Emre Belozoglu, who played for Newcastle United after a spell at Inter Milan before returning to Turkey with Fenerbahce, who was one of the most high-profile names said to have handed money to the scheme.
Also listed in the case file were former Atletico Madrid and Barcelona winger Arda Turan, one of Turkey’s most recognisable modern footballers, Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, a long-serving Galatasaray star and one of the most decorated foreign players in Turkish football, and ex-Galatasaray captain Selcuk Inan, celebrated domestically for his leadership and set-piece ability.
Earlier case files said Erzan received large cash amounts, some handed over in bags, and victims were given only handwritten or stamped papers as proof of their supposed investments. She was accused of taking around $43m (£32m) and 15 million Turkish Lira (£270,000) after developing close ties with wealthy clients during her time as branch manager.
The scheme reportedly collapsed when she could not continue paying returns, leading to her arrest on April 11, 2023. At the hearing, Erzan repeated she had not set up the system, claimed others tried to force money from her and claimed she had never used the word “fund”, saying she had fallen into a spiral she could not escape.
She also said she had minimal contact with well-known figures listed in the case and argued some individuals had signed documents but were not coming forward to explain their involvement.
In court, she cried while denying she had kept anyone’s money, saying records existed to support this, and asked the judges for fairness, saying she would not run away if allowed home detention.
After a break to consider the verdict, the court sentenced her to 102 years and four months in prison and imposed a fine of TRY 753,880 (£13,560).
Other defendants received sentences for qualified fraud, including Ali Yoruk with 15 years, one month and 15 days, and a fine of TRY 150,000 (£2,700); Atilla Yoruk with seven years, six months and 17 days, and a fine of TRY 75,000 (£1,350); and Nur Erkasap with nine years, four months, and 15 days and a fine of TRY 79,160 (£1,420).
Huseyin Eligul was sentenced to five years and two months, and was fined TRY 7,600 (£140), while Nazli Can received four years, five months and 20 days, with a TRY 31,500 (£570) fine.
Suleyman Aslan was convicted of usury and sentenced to two years and six months with a TRY 20,000 (£360) fine, while several other defendants were acquitted.
The judges acquitted former Denizbank chief executive Hakan Ates and former deputy general manager Mehmet Aydogdu.
The court noted forgery in special documents was treated as a single offence with the state as the victim and placed Erzan under supervised release for five years for that part of the case.
