In a landmark ruling with direct implications for expatriates eyeing property in the Turkish-controlled north of Cyprus, the Nicosia criminal court on 24 October 2025 sentenced Israeli-Turkish entrepreneur Simon Aykut to five years in prison for offences including land usurpation, fraud and money-laundering. Aykut was arrested while attempting to cross the Ayios Dhometios checkpoint last year after marketing luxury villas built on land owned by displaced Greek-Cypriots.
The conviction is the harshest to date in a series of cases targeting foreign nationals involved in north-Cyprus real-estate schemes. Two Hungarian agents received shorter sentences in May, while a German suspect remains in custody. Prosecutors said the verdict “sends a clear deterrent message” to would-be buyers and developers.
For global-mobility managers, the decision raises the compliance risk of relocating staff to properties in the north that lack clear title. Multinationals operating across the Green Line often arrange housing for project teams in Kyrenia and Famagusta due to lower rents; legal advisers now warn that any involvement with disputed properties—even tenancy agreements—could invite civil claims or criminal exposure in the Republic.
The ruling may also impact cross-checkpoint flows: trial evidence noted that Aykut used the Dherynia crossing for site visits with foreign investors, prompting calls for tighter screening of documents presented by travellers transporting promotional material or contracts.
Companies should audit housing policies, instruct relocating employees on the legal status of northern real estate and, where necessary, shift accommodation to internationally recognised areas to avoid reputational and legal fallout.
The conviction is the harshest to date in a series of cases targeting foreign nationals involved in north-Cyprus real-estate schemes. Two Hungarian agents received shorter sentences in May, while a German suspect remains in custody. Prosecutors said the verdict “sends a clear deterrent message” to would-be buyers and developers.
For global-mobility managers, the decision raises the compliance risk of relocating staff to properties in the north that lack clear title. Multinationals operating across the Green Line often arrange housing for project teams in Kyrenia and Famagusta due to lower rents; legal advisers now warn that any involvement with disputed properties—even tenancy agreements—could invite civil claims or criminal exposure in the Republic.
The ruling may also impact cross-checkpoint flows: trial evidence noted that Aykut used the Dherynia crossing for site visits with foreign investors, prompting calls for tighter screening of documents presented by travellers transporting promotional material or contracts.
Companies should audit housing policies, instruct relocating employees on the legal status of northern real estate and, where necessary, shift accommodation to internationally recognised areas to avoid reputational and legal fallout.
