CEO of collapsed Thodex exchange found dead in Turkish prison while serving 11,196-year sentence: report

Faruk Fatih Ozer, the CEO and founder of the Turkish cryptocurrency exchange Thodex, was found dead in his cell at the Tekirdağ F-Type High Security Closed Prison. Ozer was serving an 11,196-year sentence after being convicted in September 2023 for aggravated fraud, money laundering, and leading a criminal organization, following the exchange's collapse in April 2021 which resulted in over 400,000 users losing an estimated $2.6 billion.

Local media reports indicated Ozer was found hanging in the bathroom of his single-person cell, with initial findings suggesting suicide, according to a statement by Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç, who confirmed an ongoing investigation. Ozer had fled to Albania after the collapse but was arrested in August 2022 and extradited to Turkey to face trial.

(Source：The Block)