The Ulster businessman at the centre of an alleged £4m overseas property scam last night declared: "I'm no crook." In his first face-to face newspaper interview since he was accused of swindling millions from around 60 families over the sale of luxury villas in Turkey, determined Kevin O'Kane told Sunday Life of his "commitment" to return home with the missing cash.
We tracked down the Co Londonderry man to the resort of Bodrum, where he has been living, along with concerned wife Bernadette, since May.
The 48-year-old - who has not been charged with any offence - has been banned from leaving Turkey while the high-level police probe into the Golden Beach development continues.
The oil distributor, who still retains his passport, claimed his world has been turned upside down after he was accused of running bogus property sales with former pal and on-the-run business partner, Kubilay Atmaca.
We spoke to him just yards from the building in the resort of Gumbet, where Atmaca advertised the £75,000 villas.
In a frank interview, the dad-of-four tells how:
- His close friends lost thousands in the alleged scam;
- His reputation is in tatters;
- He is the fall guy in the alleged £4m scam;
- He has offered to meet with PSNI investigators to discuss the case.
Said the businessman: "The only crime I have committed is trust.
"I have nothing to hide and I am in Turkey working very closely with the authorities to get people their money back.
"Why would I want to rip off my close friends?
"I would hope that by working together with everyone who has been affected and by working closely with the Turkish authorities I believe we can get this matter resolved swiftly.
"I have not been arrested, charged with any crime or had my passport confiscated. I am totally innocent and have never been in trouble in my life.
"If I was guilty of any crime why would I have made the first complaint to police?
"I have lost a lot of money over this nightmare and my reputation is in ruins.
"I want to work closely with the people who have lost money and I can't wait to get home to my family once I have achieved this objective."
Police in Northern Ireland and Turkey launched a major probe after purchasers of the properties, located in Altinkum, a two hour-drive from Bodrum, received fake deeds.
The Turkish properties were marketed as beach villas, under the slogan " A slice of paradise" and advertised as having guaranteed rental income.
Mr O'Kane claims the false deeds were handed to customers after they put pressure on Atmaca to produce them once their cash had been transferred to Northern Ireland.
Shortly after they were delivered, the fears of one Ulster buyer came true when the Turkish authorities told them the paperwork was false.
But the Co Londonderry man claims he had "no reason" to believe his ex-friend would supply fake deeds.
Added the businessman: "This was a man who referred to me as his father because he was an orphan. I first met him two years ago and built up a close friendship with him so why should I have doubted him?
"But hindsight is a wonderful thing and I have now lost thousands because of my faith in someone I considered a very close friend. I want to meet him and ask him: 'Why?'
"Most of the buyers met Kubilay and, like myself, trusted him. They signed their power of attorney over to him, giving him the right to do all their legal work for him.
"I first met Kubilay in 2004 when he was a foreman close to a villa I was buying and he was so helpful.
He used to stay in my property and we used to give him food and clothes. He met my family and friends and they all found him very plausible.
"I now wish I had never met him because look at what he has put us through. This has had a terrible impact on everyone and I just wish I was home again."
Mr O'Kane added: "I have been told that it won't be too long before he is captured because his wife his pregnant. I have been told he could be captured within 20-odd days. His assets have been frozen and he won't have access to anything."
Mr O'Kane has raised the issue with his local MP Martin McGuinness, in a bid to ensure that pressure is kept on the Turkish authorities to keep up their hunt for his missing business partner.
He added: "Once the police have him then everything will start to fall into place and justice will be delivered for myself and the other families who have lost thousands.
"My name has been blackened for no reason and I am 100% certain I will be vindicated over the coming days."
The alleged scam has sparked heated debates in Turkey with public opinion divided over the guilt or innocence of those involved.
Said one local purchaser: "Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? My wife and myself also bought a villa from Mr O'Kane.
"Why don't people take a step back and think of the bigger picture?
"A businessman like Mr O'Kane would not set out to con people into buying villas which never belonged to him in the first place. I believe Mr O'Kane was the victim of a scam by his so-called partner or by a bigger consortium."
But another investor said: "The real and sad facts are that I, like many others I am sure, are left with hefty mortgage payments over the next 25 years for a villa that I do not own."
Source - sundaylife.co.uk
