Turkey Detains 175 in Israel-Linked Fraud Network Raids

Turkish authorities have detained 175 suspects in a sweeping operation against an international fraud network they say was linked to Israel and used fake investment platforms to defraud victims across multiple continents. The raids, which targeted 286 addresses in Istanbul and the western province of Mugla, were part of a coordinated effort by Turkish intelligence, police, and Interpol. Justice Minister Akin Gurlek announced the operation on Friday, September 18, 2026, stating that simultaneous raids began at 5 a.m. local time. By 10 a.m., authorities had detained 175 of the 239 identified suspects. The operation targeted 28 companies and 42 call centers allegedly used to perpetrate the scheme. According to Gurlek, investigations conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutors Office in 2026 uncovered evidence that the network used social media and online advertisements to promote forex and cryptocurrency investments promising high returns to foreign nationals. The scheme allegedly employed multilingual customer representatives to recruit victims, who were directed to investment platforms controlled by the suspects.