Turkish Stock Market Scandal: Gökhan Gönül and Arif Gafuri Face Legal Action
Turkish authorities have detained 12 individuals, including former footballer Gökhan Gönül and renowned magician Arif Gafuri, as part of a large-scale operation following allegations of stock market manipulation in Istanbul (BİST).
The arrests followed an investigation by the Istanbul prosecutor's office, which uncovered that the suspects engaged in fictitious price movements through speculation on specific stocks, profiting from reports issued by the Capital Markets Authority.
The investigation concluded that the suspects committed offenses including "forming a criminal organization" and "market fraud based on insider information."
Following the issuance of arrest warrants, financial crime units conducted raids in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Samsun, and Maraş, apprehending the suspects, including Gökhan Gönül and Arif Gafuri.
The prosecutor's office confirmed that abnormal fluctuations in trading volumes and stock prices resulted in significant losses for small investors, with 25 individuals implicated in stock manipulation activities involving two companies in Istanbul and other Turkish regions.
Currently, seven suspects are in custody: Onur Y, Muhammad Y, Emre K, Erol D, Osman W, Savaş H, and Sabahatín A, while authorities are pursuing the remaining accused.
The Capital Markets Authority had previously filed a criminal complaint against 16 individuals, including magician Arif Gafuri, for transactions involving shares of "Europa Yatırım Holding," and a trading ban was imposed on their stocks.
* Who is Gökhan Gönül?
Gökhan Gönül (40 years old) began his career at Bursa Yıl Spor Academy, later moving to Gençlerbirliği, and joined Fenerbahçe in 2007 for €1.4 million, where he played for nine years. He transferred to Beşiktaş in 2016 and joined Rizespor in 2021, retiring in late 2023 to become a coach.
* Who is Arif Gafuri?
Arif Gafuri (36 years old), a Turkish national of Iranian descent, gained fame for his magic performances on "Turkey's Got Talent" and won the title of "World's Most Extreme Magician" at the 2011 Merlin Awards. In 2018, he was bitten by a cobra during a performance at a luxury hotel in Antalya.
