News Editor Ajda Ender /Harrisons
A newlywed influencer couple detained in a money-laundering investigation over several kilos of gold worn by the bride at their lavish wedding have now claimed it was all borrowed from a local jeweller as part of a stunt to help fuel their social-media fame.
Picture shows influencer Cagla Oz showered with gold at wedding in Van, Turkey, undated. Note: Private photo. (Harrisons)
Bride Cagla Oz was detained in Istanbul, Turkey, on 10th September, four days after her extravagant wedding and two days after the arrest of her businessman husband, Mehmet Fatih Tancalan, in Van, eastern Turkey, also on suspicion of money laundering.
Picture shows influencer Cagla Oz showered with gold at wedding in Van, Turkey, undated. Note: Private photo. (Harrisons)
Footage from the wedding on 6th September shows Cagla covered in gold jewellery around her neck, wrists, waist and fingers as guests continue adding more pieces.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses with husband in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
Turkish reports said the jewellery displayed at the ceremony was worth around TRY 45 million (GBP 683,300).
Picture shows influencer Cagla Oz showered with gold at wedding in Van, Turkey, undated. Note: Private photo. (Harrisons)
Her husband, who is known online as “Kara Haydar”, was arrested in a dawn raid at his home in Muradiye, Van Province, at around 3am on 8th September.
Picture shows influencer Cagla Oz showered with gold at wedding in Van, Turkey, undated. Note: Private photo. (Harrisons)
Tancalan was later brought before a court accused of laundering assets derived from crime and was remanded in custody.
Picture shows influencer Cagla Oz showered with gold at wedding in Van, Turkey, undated. Note: Private photo. (Harrisons)
Cagla, a social-media influencer, reportedly shut down her social-media accounts shortly after her husband was detained.
Video shows the influencer bride being covered in gold on a wedding in Istanbul, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
She was then detained in Istanbul on 10th September as the investigation into the couple’s assets continued.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
The Van Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has asked Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board to examine the couple’s wealth, their displays of a luxury lifestyle online and the source of the large quantities of gold, foreign currency and cash displayed at their wedding.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses with husband in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
Tancalan told investigators that the gold worn at the wedding had been rented from a jeweller he knew in Muradiye.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses with husband in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
He said: “We returned the gold after the wedding.”
Influencer Cagla Oz poses in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
Tancalan also claimed that some companies had sponsored the wedding because Cagla acted as an advertising face for them.
He denied the allegations against him and had asked to be released before being remanded in custody.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses with husband in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
The couple’s lavish displays had already attracted widespread attention before the wedding.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses with husband in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
At their engagement ceremony in Istanbul in May, Cagla was also covered in jewellery during a lengthy gift presentation reportedly involving kilos of gold worth millions of Turkish lira.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
Footage showed thick bracelets, ornate jewellery sets and custom-made gold pieces being placed around her neck, hands and head.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses with husband in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
The weight reportedly became so great that Cagla struggled to move.
Influencer Cagla Oz poses in undated photo. She had a lavish wedding in Istanbul, Turkey. Note: Private photo taken from social media. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
Tancalan was quoted at the time as telling guests: “There is twice as much again downstairs. We said gold equal to her weight.”
Video shows the influencer bride being covered in gold on a wedding in Istanbul, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
Influencer Dilan Polat, who attended the engagement, asked Cagla: “Are you going to wear all of it?”
Video shows the influencer bride being covered in gold on a wedding in Istanbul, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
Cagla replied: “Hopefully I can carry it.”
Video shows the influencer bride being covered in gold on a wedding in Istanbul, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
Authorities have not stated that the gold itself was illegally obtained.
Video shows the influencer bride being covered in gold on a wedding in Istanbul, Turkey, undated. Note: Photo is a screenshot from a video. (@cag1aoz/Newsflash/NX)
The investigation into the couple’s assets and the source of the wealth displayed at their wedding is continuing.
(Harrisons)
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