Türkiye uncovers $4.2 billion illegal betting and laundering network

Turkish authorities have uncovered a large-scale network involved in illegal betting and money laundering, launching judicial proceedings against 130 suspects as part of two separate investigations centred in Istanbul.

Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said simultaneous operations were carried out across 27 provinces targeting organisations engaged in illicit betting activities and the laundering of criminal proceeds, according to TRT Haber.

The operations were coordinated by the Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul in cooperation with the city’s Security Directorate.

Investigators from the Bureau for the Investigation of Terrorist Financing and Money Laundering Crimes found that the total volume of transactions linked to the illegal betting network reached approximately 193.367 billion Turkish lira, equivalent to around $4.2 billion.

As part of the nationwide operations, judicial procedures were initiated against 104 suspects, authorities said, while the broader investigations involve a total of 130 individuals.

By Tamilla Hasanova