Turkish Stock Market Scandal: Gökhan Gönül and Aref Gafouri Face Charges
Turkish authorities have arrested twelve individuals, including former football player Gökhan Gönül and renowned magician Aref Gafouri, as part of a significant operation in response to allegations of stock market manipulation in Istanbul (BİST).
The arrests followed an investigation by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office, which revealed that the suspects allegedly created artificial price movements by speculating on specific stocks, benefiting from reports by the Capital Markets Board.
The investigation concluded that the suspects committed crimes including "establishing a criminal organization" and "market manipulation based on insider information."
Following the issuance of arrest warrants, financial crime units conducted raids in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Samsun, and Kahramanmaraş, apprehending the suspects, including Gökhan Gönül and Aref Gafouri.
The prosecutor's office confirmed that abnormal fluctuations in trading volume and stock prices resulted in significant losses for retail investors, noting that twenty-five individuals were involved in the manipulation of stocks from two companies in Istanbul and other regions of Turkey.
Currently, seven suspects are in custody: Onur Y., Mohammed Y., Emre K., Erol D., Osman W., Savaş H., and Sabahatın A., while authorities continue to search for the remaining accused.
The Capital Markets Board had previously filed a complaint against sixteen individuals, including magician Aref Gafouri, regarding transactions involving shares of "Europa Yatırım Holding," and imposed a trading ban on those shares.
* Who is Gökhan Gönül?
Gökhan Gönül, 40, began his career at Bursa Yıl Spor Academy, later moving to Gençlerbirliği. In 2007, he joined Fenerbahçe for €1.4 million, where he played for nine years. He transferred to Beşiktaş in 2016 and then to Rizespor in 2021, retiring in late 2023 to become a coach.
* Who is Aref Gafouri?
Aref Gafouri, 36, an Iranian-Turkish citizen, gained fame through his magic performances on the show "Turkey's Got Talent" and won the title of "World's Most Extreme Magician" at the Merlin Awards in 2011. In 2018, he was bitten by a cobra during a performance at a luxury hotel in Antalya.
