Social media has created a dangerous new breed of “wealth”: luxury lifestyles, designer brands and polished high-quality images. This week, we are looking into the Turkish couple who “ventured into various businesses, including a chain of beauty salons spanning 36 Turkish provinces, a cosmetics line and a diamond brand.” Hebanna… in 36 provinces.
Dilan and Engin Polat were a high-profile influencer couple with a combined social media following of 8.2 million. I know right, you probably can imagine the lifestyle on their Instagram down to the outfits, the cars the houses;… in luxury honey.
But in November 2023, our lovely couple got arrested along with other 12 individuals on “charges of money laundering, tax evasion and illegal betting.” They professed their love for each other on a Times Square billboard in New York, used $100 bills as hair rollers. They also bought a new house and flew a helicopter just so they could get the view of the house.
The couple funneled $7 million into shell companies that they owned, using fake invoices to make it look like the funds were generated through trading relationships, “the laundered funds were then dispersed to various family members who used it to buy luxury real estate and other high-value assets. “
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Source: Daily Sabah