Тело основателя Thodex, обанкротившейся криптобиржи, найдено в тюрьме, следствие рассматривает самоубийство Translation: Founder of the bankrupt Thodex cryptocurrency exchange found dead in prison; investigation considers suicide

Former CEO and founder of the collapsed Turkish cryptocurrency exchange Thodex, Faruk Fatih Ozer, has been found dead in a solitary confinement cell at a high-security prison in Tekirdağ. Local media reports that he was discovered hanged in the bathroom.

Authorities preliminarily classified the incident as suicide. The body has been sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, and an investigation has been launched by the prosecutor’s office.

On April 20, 2021, Thodex abruptly ceased trading, which raised concerns among users, especially after the exchange’s head shut down his social media accounts.

Initially, the platform’s team cited scheduled technical maintenance. They later announced the arrival of a «major partner,» stating that the website would be offline for approximately 4-5 days due to the transition process.

Thodex denied any allegations of running an exit scam, with Ozer assuring that he had no intention of going into hiding, claiming that reports of missing user funds were inaccurate. However, journalists, citing police sources, reported that he had left Turkey a day before trading was halted.

As part of the ongoing investigation, 78 arrest warrants were issued for individuals associated with the exchange. Law enforcement quickly apprehended over 60 suspects.

Turkey requested a «red notice» from Interpol for the founder of Thodex. Ozer was eventually arrested in Albania in August 2022 following a request from Turkish authorities.

In April 2023, he was extradited back to Turkey. In September, a court sentenced Ozer, along with his sister and brother, to a total of 11,196 years, 10 months, and 15 days of imprisonment each. They were also fined 135 million lira (about $5 million). The charges included organizing a criminal organization, fraud, and money laundering.

The court acquitted 16 of the 21 individuals involved in the case.

According to the prosecutor’s statement, the losses incurred by investors due to Thodex’s collapse were estimated at $24 million, while Turkish media reported figures as high as $2 billion. An analytical firm, Chainalysis, calculated the damage at $2.6 billion.

In May 2024, the Turkish authorities announced plans to tighten regulations surrounding digital assets, with one of the key focuses being investor protection in the wake of Thodex’s downfall.

Starting in February 2025, users conducting cryptocurrency transactions over 15,000 TRY (approximately $357) will be required to provide identification to service providers.

Following this, the Ministry of Finance imposed limits on transactions involving stablecoins ($3,000 per day and $50,000 per month) and delays on fund withdrawals (48-72 hours), justifying the measures as efforts to combat money laundering.

It is worth noting that in July, Turkish authorities blocked access to the DEX PancakeSwap and the CryptoRadar platform, citing «provision of services with crypto-assets without permission.»