In a stunning turn of events, Faruk Fatih Özer, the former CEO of the now-defunct Turkish cryptocurrency exchange Thodex, has been sentenced to an astonishing 11,196 years, 10 months, and 15 days in prison.
This remarkable sentence comes as a consequence of Özer's involvement in a scam that siphoned $2 billion from unsuspecting customers.
To put this into perspective, it's worth noting that the last ice age concluded approximately 11,000 years ago, underscoring the unprecedented nature of this legal ruling.
Thodex, once a prominent cryptocurrency exchange in Turkey, abruptly ceased its operations in April 2021, and Özer disappeared, leaving more than 400,000 users unable to access their funds, which amounted to a staggering $2 billion in various cryptocurrencies.
Suspicions grew that Özer had fled Turkey, and Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest.
Eventually, he was apprehended in Albania in the preceding year. The red notice accused Özer of engaging in fraudulent activities from the outset and characterized Thodex as a criminal organization.
The collapse of Thodex sent shockwaves throughout Turkey, where cryptocurrencies had become a popular means of safeguarding savings amid rampant inflation and the sharp devaluation of the national currency, the lira.
In a late-night verdict, an Istanbul court delivered Özer's sentence, encompassing a range of charges including fraud, leading a criminal organization, and money laundering.
Notably, Özer's two siblings also received prison sentences in connection to the case.
While a multi-millennia prison term may seem astonishing, it is not entirely unusual within the Turkish legal system.
For instance, in 2016, Fethullah Gülen, a leader of a social and religious movement and a political adversary to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was sentenced to 1,900 years in prison on charges related to organizing a failed coup.
Six years later, Adnan Oktar, a cult leader convicted of various crimes, including sexual assault, received a sentence exceeding 8,600 years in prison.
In another news, authorities have apprehended a father, Ejike Wilson, and two pastors linked to the tragic death of his 24-year-old disabled son in the Port Harcourt region of the state. See detailed story here
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