Faruk Fatih Özer

Faruk Fatih Özer, the former head of the crypto exchange platform Thodex, has been handed a sentence of 11,196 years in prison by a Turkish court for a litany of charges, including fraud.

The court also imposed a substantial judicial fine of 135 million Turkish Liras, equivalent to approximately $5 million.

Faruk Fatih Özer, the founder of the now-defunct cryptocurrency platform Thodex, has been sentenced to seven months and 15 days in prison for failing to submit requested documents to the Tax Inspection Board.

Özer's case was heard at the Anatolian 17th Criminal Court of First Instance, with the defendant connected via the audio and video information system (SEGBİS).

Faruk Fatih Özer, who has been accused of defrauding investors on his defunct cryptocurrency platform Thodex, has denied all allegations in his first court appearance in Türkiye on June 12.

Faruk Fatih Özer, extradited by Albania after being nabbed for defrauding investors on his cryptocurrency platform, Thodex, was arrested in Türkiye on April 23.

"I am not a swindler. I have not defrauded anyone," Özer said in his statement at the police station.

Faruk Fatih Özer, arrested by Albanian police for defrauding investors on his cryptocurrency platform, Thodex, was extradited to Türkiye on April 20, the Albanian Supreme Court has ordered.

Türkiye issued an international arrest warrant in April 2021 for the fugitive businessman after he fled with a reported $20 million in investors' assets.

Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has said that Türkiye is waiting for Faruk Fatih Özer's extradition, who was arrested by Albanian police for defrauding investors in his cryptocurrency platform Thodex.

The founder of a cryptocurrency exchange Thodex, suspected of having fled Turkey with the assets of his clients, has been arrested in Albania, the Turkish Interior Ministry said on Aug. 30. 

Türkiye issued an international arrest warrant in April last year for fugitive businessman Faruk Fatih Özer, who fled with a reported $2 billion in investors' assets.

Elbasan prosecutor Kreshnik Ajazi confirmed to BIRN on Tuesday that fugitive Turkish Faruk Fatih Ozer, suspected of staging a massive cryptocurrency scam, is being held in the Albanian city, saying that "he was arrested today in Elbasan".

Faruk Fatih Özer, the founder and CEO of Thodex, has remained the sole suspect on the run in the judicial investigation into the cryptocurrency exchange platform.

The Turkish police have identified three more suspects in the Thodex cryptocurrency exchange platform fraud case, Demirören News Agency reported on May 17.

Those suspects include a software developer, a financial department employee and the wife of Thodex founder Faruk Fatih Özer's older brother, the report said.