Many Turkish citizens claiming to be victimized by Bulut Bağcı's TourismX Project have formed a group on Telegram (TourismX – TRMX Turkey Group) to exchange views. Victims, including various members of society such as civil servants, teachers, laborers, and freelancers, are seeking assistance, with some resorting to social media, tagging President Erdoğan and relevant ministers in tweets, hoping for aid.
It is reported that individuals have invested $130,000, $200,000, and even $600,000 in Bağcı's TourismX project. According to Lowyer Dr. Ahmet Keşli, who provided information to Turizm Güncel, Bulut Bağcı allegedly withdrew more than 80% of the funds collected through TourismX (TRMX) and transferred them to accounts belonging to his close associates. Keşli noted the existence of numerous victims, stating, "There are hundreds, even thousand of victims. These are just the ones we know in Türkiye. There is also an international dimension to this, and we are unaware of those. Dozens of individuals in Türkiye currently want to grant us power of attorney to pursue the case. Eventually, victims abroad will emerge."
"Individuals who invested $600,000 in one go"
Although the exact figure is unknown, Ahmet Keşli estimates that approximately 5,000 people have been defrauded by Bağcı’s TourismX Peroject. He stated, "There are many victims. Some individuals have invested $600,000 in one go. The figures are very high. Millions of dollars have been collected from the market. Bağcı gathered these funds by saying, 'I am meeting with our President,' 'I am meeting with the government,' 'I am meeting with ministers,' etc... He gathered them by making false promises. During meetings with TourismX investors, he would say, 'We have negotiated with such and such institution, signed this contract, solved this issue,' but there is nothing concrete. He hasn't done anything, to the extent that he hasn't even collaborated with official institutions like the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) and the Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye (TCMB). He has taken money from our citizens. He is also operating through his relatives. In other words, there is an organized crime committed collectively."
"He withdrew and consumed the money"
Keşli, indicating that there will be hundreds of complaints regarding the issue, said, "There is a complaint currently being held in Malatya. Dozens of individuals are approaching us to initiate legal proceedings. This is similar to known scams such as Çiftlikbank, Thodex, Coinspace, or other cryptocurrency/coin frauds. In other words, they deceive people by saying, 'We will launch a coin, put projects under it, find investors for our coin, increase its price,' etc. Coin issuance is akin to issuing currency or securities. If you look at it as currency, the promises are not fulfilled. You see a function similar to the Central Bank. So, both what they do is a crime, and the promises made to people are not fulfilled. They deceive people with false statements and consume the money obtained from there instead of investing it back into the development of the coin. They do this by transferring the money to family members."
"Foreign travel ban should be imposed, and detention should be ordered"
Attorney Ahmet Keşli claimed that Bulut Bağcı currently does not have a residence in Türkiye and is in a fugitive status. "He pretends to reside abroad. In fact, since he does not have a fixed residence in Türkiye, all the conditions for detention have been met. An immediate foreign travel ban should be imposed, and he should be directly detained and tried. However, he is trying to escape from justice by taking advantage of legal loopholes and the slow pace of the courts. It has been seen that individuals who have committed the same or similar crimes have received hundreds of years of imprisonment. Bağcı gives off an air as if he were the President's man. But the President doesn't even know this person. Just because he attended an event doesn't mean he knows him. He defrauded the Ministry of Tourism in Chad as well. He claims to be in communication with ministers, saying, 'I am meeting with our President, I am meeting with our ministers,' and swindles people with an air of 'I am conducting negotiations.' He attends an event, forces himself into a photo, then shares it on social media, saying, 'I discussed this with the President, with such and such minister, with the president of such and such institution.' This person even defrauded the Ministry of Tourism in Chad. A person who is so audacious as to defraud not only individuals in Türkiye but also a state is Bulut Bağcı." Keşli said.
He posed as if he good relation with president Erdoğan
According to report on Turizm Güncel, Turkish B2B travel portal, In order to convince people, Bulut Bağcı created an image on the internet and social media as if he was a powerful and respected businessman who has a close relations with influential figures of the government, especially President Erdoğan. Victims of Bğacı has trusted him invested his project with hope of making huge profits. At the end of the day, let alone making a big profit, even they lost everything they have.
He wrote 9 books in 3 years
To create ‘good businessman image’ It is not known how it happened, but he wrote 9 books in 3 years. Ousted leader of Pakistan, Imran Khan, leaders of Mali, Uzbekistan and Chad; failed tour operator Thomas Cook and Crises in Tourism are some of the books bearing his name. And nobody knows how he could able to write 9 books in 3 years.
Bulut Bağcı also defrauded the Chad government
According to official letter that sent to Bağcı’s company from Chad government, Bulut Bağcı not only did not invest 8,2 million dollar and open the hotel for which she signed a contract with the Chadian government, but also defrauded the Chad Ministry of Tourism of 300 million francs (500 thousand dollars). In the letter governments says "Furthermore, we observe that instead of making an investment as planned, two payments were made to you by the National Hotel Management Company (SONEXHO) for a total of three hundred million (300,000,000) francs CFA, each in the amount of 150,000,000 francs CFA. From examination of the Lease Agreement, "We conclude that the payments made to you by SONEXHO do not correspond to any contractual requirements. In other words, this is an erroneous payment that must be refunded."
