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Former Turkish Aeronautical Association (THK) University rector Unsal Ban, who is on trial in four separate cases and under a travel ban, has reportedly fled abroad. Reports also claim that Ban obtained a Greek passport before attempting to escape to Greece.
According to Turkish news outlet T24, Ban — previously in the spotlight for his contentious divorce from Justice and Development Party (AK Party) lawmaker Zehra Taskesenlioglu — fled abroad despite facing multiple ongoing trials and travel restrictions. Information obtained by T24 indicates that Ban had acquired a Greek passport prior to his reported escape attempt.
Ban had previously drawn public attention alongside his ex-wife, AK Party Erzurum lawmaker Zehra Taskesenlioglu, and former Capital Markets Board (SPK) chairman Ali Fuat Taskesenlioglu, over bribery allegations linked to capital increases in several companies.
According to NOW Haber journalist Alican Uludag, Ban — who faces four separate cases and three travel bans and was once arrested while trying to flee to Greece — has now successfully escaped abroad. Uludag reported that Ban had already obtained a Greek passport before his escape.
Ban, previously arrested as part of a stock market manipulation investigation, was released after 36 days by invoking the “effective remorse” clause. He had earlier been caught in the resort town of Fethiye while attempting to flee following a detention order.
T24 reported that Ban obtained his Greek passport in 2022. He had earlier received a “Golden Visa” residence permit in Greece by purchasing real estate. However, because such a permit does not grant passport eligibility, questions remain about whether his passport is genuine. To hold a Greek passport legally, Ban would have had to acquire Greek citizenship.
On April 30, 2025, detention orders were issued for 15 individuals accused of conducting manipulative transactions on the Borsa Istanbul stock exchange.
Ban was first detained and arrested on Aug. 29, 2022, on charges including “sharing personal data with an organized crime leader,” “threat,” and “blackmail.”
He was released on Sept. 2, 2022, under judicial control with a condition prohibiting him from leaving his residence. After the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office appealed the decision, Ban was detained again, referred to court, and re-arrested on Sept. 3, 2022.
One day after being released in another case, Ban was detained once more — this time as part of an investigation into “money laundering derived from crime.” His ex-wife Gulcan Bal, son Emre Bugra Ban, brother Unal Ban, driver Ahmet Karatas, and five other suspects were also detained.
According to a statement from the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, suspects Unsal Ban, Unal Ban, Gulcan Ban, Emre Bugra Ban, Ahmet Karakas, Bulent Gurkan, Ismail Erdogan, Levent Yurdakul, and Soner Gokten were referred to the Criminal Court of Peace on Feb. 13, 2023, with a request for their arrest in the money laundering case.
On Feb. 14, 2023, the court ordered the arrest of Unsal Ban, Unal Ban, Gulcan Ban, Emre Bugra Ban, and Ahmet Karakas, while the remaining suspects were released under judicial control. Ban was released 13 months later in the money laundering case in which he was on trial.
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