Fatih Özer, founder and CEO of Turkish cryptocurrency exchange Thodex has been arrested in Albania following his 2021 disappearance with funds belonging to roughly 400,000 users. Thodex was one of Turkey’s largest crypto exchanges that became an exit scam. The crypto exchange suddenly went offline in April 2021, and Fatih Özer fled to Albania. According to the Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet, users deposited $2 billion in cryptos in the exchange.
On 22 April, public prosecutors launched investigations after Fatih Özer had indeed left Turkey with $2 billion in cryptos. The Turkish law enforcement froze all the assets of Thodex and arrest warrants were issued for Özer and 81 other suspects. The Cyber Crimes Directorate arrested all suspects except for Özer himself. An Interpol Red Notice was issued for Özer the next day.
Albania’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Bledar Çuçi, told his Turkish counterpart that Özer had been arrested in Vlora and his identity was confirmed by biometric results after being placed on the wanted list under the red notice. Proceedings for his extradition have begun.
