Andreas Szakacs, co-founder of the OmegaPro Ponzi scheme, seems to have been arrested in Turkey.
BehindMLM first realized of Szakacs purported arrest in Turkey a couple of weeks in the past. A reader wrote in and offered what gave the impression to be credible proof.
They requested us to not share specifics pending permission from the supply although. We obliged.
Following one other reader reaching out about Szakacs’ arrest a couple of days in the past, I reached out to our unique supply requesting an replace on permission – which was granted.
OmegaPro was an MLM crypto Ponzi that pitched a 200% ROI over 16 months. Following OmegaPro’s collapse in November 2022, Dubai-based co-founders Andreas Szakacs and Dilawar Singh disappeared.
Having obtained false credentials, Szakacs seems to have relocated from Dubai to Turkey below the identify “Emre Avci”.
Szakacs was arrested on “monetary dishonest” fees on July tenth, 2024.
Following his arrest, Szakacs was transferred to Maltepe jail the place he’s believed to nonetheless be held. Maltepe is a municipal district of Istanbul, south-east of the capital metropolis.
I’ve been maintaining a watch out for any native experiences confirming Szakacs’ arrest however haven’t seen any. This could possibly be because of the pending arrest of Dilawar Singh, who’s/was believed to be below surveillance in Spain.
As on the time of publication whether or not Singh is in custody stays unclear. What we will verify is Singh deactivated his social media accounts across the time of Szakacs’ arrest.
Additionally unclear is the scope of the case in opposition to Szakacs, and whether or not US authorities are concerned.
Le Journal de Montreal reported a French felony investigation into OmegaPro final month.
“The Central Workplace for the Suppression of Critical Monetary Crime has been tasked […] with finishing up checks, with a purpose to set up whether or not French jurisdiction may be retained or whether or not it is going to be acceptable to make an official report back to the English authorities,” the general public prosecutor’s workplace stated.
Two thousand French OmegaPro victims are reported to have filed a felony criticism in February.
Except French authorities have moved at lightning velocity although, I don’t imagine they’re behind Szakacs arrest – at the least indirectly.
OmegaPro was cautious to not immediately goal the US. Victims of the rip-off had been as an alternative curated from largely third-world international locations.
That stated, OmegaPro was immediately tied to the US via its third co-founder, Mike Sims.
Along with profiting off the scheme and overseeing cash laundering, Sims was additionally the bridge between OmegaPro and collapsed The Merchants Area non-MLM Ponzi scheme.
The Merchants Area collapsed a couple of months earlier than OmegaPro. BehindMLM’s intensive analysis led us to imagine the 2 Ponzi schemes’ respective collapses had been interlinked.
The CFTC filed go well with in opposition to The Merchants Area ringleaders (together with Sims) in February 2023. As of but although no felony fees have been made public.
Various US residents had been concerned in The Merchants Area. Holton Buggs is believed to have stolen over $125 million, adopted by Sims at round $84 million.
One other notable net-winner was disgraced veteran MLM coach Eric Worre and spouse Marina. Collectively, the Worre’s are reported to have stolen over $21 million from The Merchants Area victims.
Worre additionally acquired concerned with OmegaPro within the months main as much as its collapse.
On Andreas Szakacs hiding out in Turkey; the nation has not too long ago emerged as a haven for “worldwide felony networks”.
Lax legal guidelines on cash laundering, easy accessibility to citizenship, inadequate prosecution — Turkey has grown extra enticing for worldwide felony networks. In response, the brand new inside minister has declared a crackdown.
In April 2024 Europol cited Turkey as “a hub for vital felony syndicates, posing a critical risk to the protection and safety of Europe”.
Quite a few key figures in felony networks, based mostly primarily in Belgium and the Netherlands, have interaction in trafficking cocaine and hashish, together with cash laundering, with many having Turkish origins.
“They’re current in additional than 40 international locations, with fundamental operations in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain within the EU, and the United Arab Emirates outdoors the EU,” the report stated.
“Turkish key members usually type the core of felony networks with Belgian, Dutch and German criminals. These networks have interaction primarily in drug trafficking (cocaine and hashish) and cash laundering.
Essential international locations of exercise embody Belgium, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Türkiye.
Szakacs, a former promoter of OneCoin, promoted the $4 billion plus Ponzi scheme throughout Turkey.
BehindMLM has researched and tracked two Russian crime syndicates working out of Turkey; the scammers behind Cancri Jewellery and a collection of MLM crypto Ponzis fronted by Canadian nationwide Jan Gregory in 2023 (CoinMarketBull, Maxspread Applied sciences, Vortic United, CloudFi and SureX).
Not sufficient to declare Turkey a hotbed for MLM associated monetary crime like Dubai, however we’re keeping track of developments.
Pending any updates on Szakacs’ arrest we’ll maintain you posted.