Turkey releases Polly Peck fraudster Asil Nadir after extradition from UK
Turkish Cypriot businessman Asil Nadir has been released in Turkey just one night after he was returned there to complete his sentence.
Nadir, who was jailed in the UK in 2012 for stealing millions from his own business empire, was convicted of 10 counts of theft £28.6m between 1987 and 1990 from textiles company Polly Peck International after a two year trial.
“Under the Prisoner Transfer Agreement, Turkish authorities are entitled to decide whether those sent back continue to serve their sentences in normal prisons, on license or under house arrest,” a UK Ministry of Justice spokesman said. “This is a matter for the Turkish authorities.”
In 1993 Nadir avoided a multi-million pound fraud trial by fleeing to his native Northern Cyprus from Britain, which has no extradition treaty with the UK as it is not recognised internationally.
Polly Peck collapsed in 1990 when British officials began a fraud investigation. In 2012 Nadir was cleared of three offences relating to more than £5m and was ordered to pay £5m in compensation.