The trial of singer Serdar Ortaç for “illegal betting advertisements and encouragement” began on Tuesday at the 25th Criminal Court of First Instance at the Istanbul Justice Palace in Çağlayan. Fellow star Mehmet Ali Erbil will testify as a witness during the trial.
The case stems from an investigation into illegal betting promotions led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. After making statements to the prosecutor, Ortaç and Erbil were placed under judicial control and placed under house arrest instead of detention. Ortaç arrived at the court with his lawyer, and Erbil was present.
Mehmet Ali Erbil will be heard as a witness in the trial where Serdar Ortaç is the defendant. Speaking to journalists upon arriving at the Istanbul Justice Palace in Çağlayan, Mehmet Ali Erbil said, “Serdar is luckier in this matter. His case will be heard earlier; it will be a preview for me regarding the trial and the outcome. I wish it would be beneficial for him.”
The investigation into illegal betting promotions goes back to Nov. 20, when an arrest warrant was issued for several social media figures, including Yasin Obuz, Mesut Can Eray, Cenk Pekkan, Ünal Orhan, Özgür Yağan, Kerem Gülsoy and Özcan Acar. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is leading the inquiry into their role in promoting illegal gambling activities.
Yasin Obuz, a TV personality with nearly 1 million Instagram followers, was found to be advertising illegal gambling sites. The authorities aim to crack down on such promotions through social media. In addition to the influencers, singer Serdar Ortaç and comedian Mehmet Ali Erbil were placed under house arrest.
The investigation also led to the detention of 12 suspects, with arrest warrants issued for influencers believed to be abroad, including Aydoğan Duru, Ramiz Nurçin and others.