Ömer Lütfü Topal
Encyclopedia
Ömer Lütfü Topal, sometimes spelled Lütfi, (1942, Doğanşehir
, Malatya Province
– July 28, 1996, Istanbul
) was a Turkish businessman
, who was deeply involved in the Susurluk scandal
. He was dubbed the "casino king" for the gambling ventures that made his fortune.
He was born in Doğanşehir
, Malatya Province
to Mahmut Topal.
He has a criminal record at the İstanbul Police for the years 1962, 1969 and 1971 for threatening people and force them to sign debt bills, stabbing, injury, beating and murder.
According to Belgian
newspapers, he was arrested on June 20, 1978 in Antwerp province of Belgium while carrying 6 kilos of heroin. A fake passport was found on him on the name of Sadık Sami Onar, issued by the Gaziantep
Police. Besides, he was accused of drug transfer to the USA over Belgium. He was imprisoned in Belgium between June 14, 1978 and July 23, 1981. Then, he was extradited to the USA in order to serve a sentence passed on him for heroin trafficking. He was prosecuted in New York
and sentenced to five years in prison.
His name was mentioned in testimonies of persons, who had been apprehended between January 13 and February 20, 1981 in the Netherlands
with vast amounts of heroin.
Topal was captured by officers of the Istanbul Narcotics Branch on May 5, 1989 in connection with the aforementioned incident, but released by the İstanbul SSC Prosecution Office.
In 1995, he made certain attempts to take over the management of some hotels and casinos in Ashgabat in Turkmenistan
.
According to some information, he had dealt with drugs at the Emperyal Casino he owned in Istanbul, and that he had bribed certain members of the security organization in foreign currency.
rifle. Some say this was the beginning of the Susurluk scandal.
He left behind 100 trillion lira (on the order of a billion USD). Twenty two of his companies were passed onto his son Murat Topal, daughter Elif Topal, and first wife Safiye Belli. His second wife, Birsu Hilal Altıntaş, inherited a few cars, companies, and properties too.
After his death, his casinos were run by Ömer Gultekin.
Dogansehir
Doğanşehir, also known as Muhacir, Viransehir, Viranşehir, is a district of Malatya Province of Turkey. The mayor is İbrahim Karaman .-Pre-1402:...
, Malatya Province
Malatya Province
Malatya Province is a province of Turkey. It is part of a larger mountainous area. The capital of the province is Malatya , which has many residents. Malatya is famous for its apricots. The area of Malatya province is 12,313 km². Malatya Province has 740,643 inhabitants. The population was...
– July 28, 1996, Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
) was a Turkish businessman
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, who was deeply involved in the Susurluk scandal
Susurluk scandal
The Susurluk scandal was a scandal involving the close relationship between the Turkish government, the armed forces, and organized crime. It took place during the peak of the Turkey–Kurdistan Workers' Party conflict, in the mid-1990s...
. He was dubbed the "casino king" for the gambling ventures that made his fortune.
He was born in Doğanşehir
Dogansehir
Doğanşehir, also known as Muhacir, Viransehir, Viranşehir, is a district of Malatya Province of Turkey. The mayor is İbrahim Karaman .-Pre-1402:...
, Malatya Province
Malatya Province
Malatya Province is a province of Turkey. It is part of a larger mountainous area. The capital of the province is Malatya , which has many residents. Malatya is famous for its apricots. The area of Malatya province is 12,313 km². Malatya Province has 740,643 inhabitants. The population was...
to Mahmut Topal.
He has a criminal record at the İstanbul Police for the years 1962, 1969 and 1971 for threatening people and force them to sign debt bills, stabbing, injury, beating and murder.
According to Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
newspapers, he was arrested on June 20, 1978 in Antwerp province of Belgium while carrying 6 kilos of heroin. A fake passport was found on him on the name of Sadık Sami Onar, issued by the Gaziantep
Gaziantep
Gaziantep , Ottoman Turkish: Ayintab) previously and still informally called Antep; ʻayn tāb is a city in southeast Turkey and amongst the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. The city is located 185 kilometres northeast of Adana and 127 kilometres by road north of Aleppo, Syria...
Police. Besides, he was accused of drug transfer to the USA over Belgium. He was imprisoned in Belgium between June 14, 1978 and July 23, 1981. Then, he was extradited to the USA in order to serve a sentence passed on him for heroin trafficking. He was prosecuted in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and sentenced to five years in prison.
His name was mentioned in testimonies of persons, who had been apprehended between January 13 and February 20, 1981 in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
with vast amounts of heroin.
Topal was captured by officers of the Istanbul Narcotics Branch on May 5, 1989 in connection with the aforementioned incident, but released by the İstanbul SSC Prosecution Office.
In 1995, he made certain attempts to take over the management of some hotels and casinos in Ashgabat in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
.
According to some information, he had dealt with drugs at the Emperyal Casino he owned in Istanbul, and that he had bribed certain members of the security organization in foreign currency.
Death
Topal was gunned down on July 28, 1996 with a KalashnikovAK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
rifle. Some say this was the beginning of the Susurluk scandal.
He left behind 100 trillion lira (on the order of a billion USD). Twenty two of his companies were passed onto his son Murat Topal, daughter Elif Topal, and first wife Safiye Belli. His second wife, Birsu Hilal Altıntaş, inherited a few cars, companies, and properties too.
After his death, his casinos were run by Ömer Gultekin.