13 Suspects Arrested in Ankara for ‘Carp Swirl’ Fraud Scheme
Ankara, February 27 – Thirteen out of sixteen suspects detained in connection with a ‘carp swirl’ fraud scheme, allegedly carried out through an online advertisement site, have been arrested. The arrests followed a comprehensive investigation by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Ankara Police Department’s Cybercrime Branch.
The sophisticated fraud operation came to light when a victim in Ankara, after seeing a housing advertisement on a popular internet site, contacted the suspects. Following the instructions of the person on the phone, the victim was led to a meeting with the genuine seller at the land registry office. This step, designed to build trust, led the victim to transfer 13 million lira to an IBAN number provided by the perpetrators. Realizing they had been defrauded when the money did not reach the actual seller’s account, the victim filed a complaint with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Multi-City Operation Leads to Arrests
Acting on the Chief Public Prosecutor’s instructions, teams from the Ankara Police Department’s Cybercrime Branch conducted simultaneous operations across several cities, including Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Adana, Hatay, Gaziantep, Bursa, Konya, and Şırnak. These operations led to the apprehension of 16 suspects identified as being connected to the incident.
An examination of the suspects’ bank accounts revealed a staggering 220 million lira in transaction traffic between 2023 and 2025. Furthermore, searches of the suspects’ crypto asset wallets uncovered assets valued at approximately 2 million dollars, indicating the scale and sophistication of the criminal enterprise.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
Following their processing at the police department, two of the suspects were released, while the remaining 14 were brought to the Ankara Courthouse. After giving their statements to the prosecutor overseeing the investigation, the suspects were referred to the court with a request for their arrest.
Subsequently, 13 of the suspects were formally arrested on charges of ‘qualified fraud’ by the duty Criminal Judgeship of Peace. One suspect was released under judicial control conditions, pending further legal proceedings.
This case highlights the increasing prevalence and complexity of online fraud schemes, prompting authorities to intensify efforts in combating such crimes and protecting citizens from financial exploitation. The ‘carp swirl’ method, characterized by its deceptive tactics to gain trust, continues to pose a significant threat in the digital realm.
