Cryptocurrency exchange Thodex's founder Faruk Fatih Özer, who was extradited to Türkiye by the Albanian Ministry of Justice, was brought to Istanbul on Thursday.
The plane carrying Özer, whose extradition to Türkiye was decided by the Durres Court of Appeals in Albania, took off from the Albanian capital Tirana in the morning and landed at Istanbul Airport at 10:15 a.m.
Istanbul Airport Police Department took custody of Özer on arrival.
Özer, who was taken to the police station, is expected to undergo a health check-up and be taken to the campus of the Istanbul Police Department.
Wanted on a Red Notice, Özer was caught in Albania on Aug. 30, 2022.
The decision of the Elbasan Court of First Instance in Albania on the continuation of Özer's detention on Sept. 2, 2022, was appealed by his lawyers on Sept. 14, 2022.
The Durres Court of Appeals upheld the court ruling on Özer's detention on Sept. 20.
At the hearing on Nov. 17, 2022, the Elbasan Court of First Instance declared that the request of the Elbasan Prosecutor's Office "to allow Özer to be extradited to Türkiye" was accepted, and Özer appealed against this verdict on Dec. 7, 2022.
At the hearing held on Dec. 30, 2022, at the Durres Court of Appeals, the verdict on the extradition of Özer to Türkiye was upheld.
Interpol issued a Red Notice for Özer on April 23, 2021.
Özer, 27, sought on charges of fraud and founding a criminal organization, fled Türkiye last year and left investors unable to access their funds.
Türkiye issued an international arrest warrant after he fled with a reported $2 billion that investors had poured into Thodex.
