Turkish court issues arrest warrant for five members of Uzan family

ISTANBUL (A.A) - 26.05.2011 - A court in Istanbul has issued arrest warrants for five members of the Uzan family as part of an ongoing case in which they are accused of money laundering. 
The High Criminal Court no:10 convened on Thursday for the trial of 25 suspects on charges of money laundry.  
The court delegation decided to issue arrest warrants for Kemal Uzan, Yavuz Uzan, Melahat Uzan, Murat Hakan Uzan and Aysegul Uzan. 
None of the five suspects attended the hearing. Later, the trial was adjourned to September 22.
In the indictment, the prosecutor demands prison sentences ranging between 3 years and 20 years for 25 people, including Cem Uzan, Hakan Uzan and Kemal Uzan accusing them of transferring 1.9 billion TL, 466 million USD and 240 million euro from deposits of Imar Bankasi's customers to their personal accounts and then extending the capital as loans to some of the group's companies. 
Last year, Cem Uzan, businessman, politician and former media mogul, was sentenced in his absentia to 23 years in prison and to pay 33,750 TL (nearly 22,500 USD) in fine on charges of "forming and leading a criminal organization", "forgery" and "swindling". Uzan has sought political asylum in France. The Interpol issued a red notice for him upon Turkey's request.
The Savings Deposit Insurance Fund of Turkey (TMSF) took over Uzan family's Imar Bankasi and Adabank in 2003 and accused the family of swindling. TMSF sequestered companies of the family including Star Media and Telsim GSM Operator to recoup the money.