Law enforcement authorities in Turkey have detained the founder of a cryptocurrency exchange, who allegedly funded a prominent journalist, himself recently arrested for criticizing the ruling elite.
The businessman is under investigation for allegedly supplying narcotics to a victim whom he is also accused of trying to kill. The coin trading platform he was managing has been geared for global expansion, the Turkish press noted.
Crypto executive jailed in Turkey on drug and murder charges
Gökalp İçer, chair of the Board of Directors of the Turkish digital asset exchange ICRYPEX, has been detained in Istanbul, Hürriyet Daily News and Türkiye Today informed readers in separate reports.
The entrepreneur has been taken into custody on charges of “procuring drugs” and “attempted murder with probable intent,” the English-language editions unveiled, quoting the city’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Its statement details that investigators went after İçer when the victim, identified only by their initials, G.Ç., was hospitalized in intensive care on July 14, this year, after consuming narcotics allegedly provided by the suspect.
The person remains in critical condition, and the investigation is still underway to establish all circumstances in the case, the publications added.
ICRYPEX was founded by İçer in the spring of 2018. The Turkey-based crypto exchange has been trying to grow beyond its domestic market, having already opened branches in Dubai, London, and Toronto.
As part of its push to become a global player, the Turkish platform sought to increase its presence in Latin America and South Africa, Hürriyet highlighted.
The move against its executive is likely to affect these plans. Moreover, it comes against the backdrop of a major crackdown on crypto service providers in Turkey, which resulted in the blocking of dozens of websites, accused by the nation’s top financial regulator of unlicensed activities.
Turkish media links İçer’s detention to Altaylı’s arrest
According to Türkiye Today, ICRYPEX is linked to Fatih Altaylı, a renowned journalist and former TV host in Turkey who recently found himself in trouble with the government over critical comments regarding its leadership.
The crypto company has been reportedly sponsoring Altaylı’s broadcasts on YouTube, one of which led to his detention and subsequent arrest last month.
Altaylı was taken to jail on June 21 and charged with “threatening the President” with remarks he made in a video posted on his channel. Authorities interpreted those as targeting Turkey’s long-serving head of state, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In the live stream aired the previous day, the journalist had stated that, historically, Turks have always questioned the authority of their rulers, even during Ottoman times, emphasizing public expectations of accountability from high-level officials.
Prosecutors from the same Istanbul office insisted his statements constituted an offense under an article of Turkey’s criminal code meant to prevent attacks on the president as a significant institution.
In a testimony, Altaylı denied making any threats against the president, explaining he was merely sharing his opinion on poll results showing that some 70% of Turkish people would oppose allowing Erdoğan to remain in power indefinitely.
He argued that his political commentary had been distorted by opponents who circulated only a short clip, edited in a way to create the impression he was threatening the Turkish leader, which went viral on social media. He also submitted the full record to back his claims.
Speaking in the presence of lawyers, Altaylı elaborated:
“There is absolutely no expression in my speech that can be interpreted as a threat or even an implication of one against the President. The statements have been deliberately distorted by removing their context. I am not responsible for this misrepresentation.”
“I did not threaten President Erdogan. I only provided historical context. I do not accept the charges brought against me,” Altaylı reiterated later in court, but the judge concluded his statements did amount to a criminal threat against Erdogan and ordered him held in pretrial detention. The ruling sparked condemnation from colleagues and calls for his release.