Man is charged over Turk property 'scam'

Kevin O'Kane, 51, who lives in Portglenone, is alleged to have duped around 100 people into buying luxury holiday homes at the Golden Beach resort on Turkey's Aegean coast.

It is understood a number of those who invested in properties at the resort are from Ballymena and the wider mid-Antrim area.

Dozens of investors complained to police after discovering that title deeds to their dream homes were fake. Some of the buyers who had sunk their life savings into the purchases were sold the same property, it is also alleged.

Initially it was estimated that around 80 people from Northern Ireland had paid over 2.5 million to buy villas in the new development near Bodrum, investing 75,000 each for three bedroom properties.

But the charges which are being preferred against O'Kane, who is originally from Bellaghy, reveal that the actual figure involved is 4.2 million.

The majority of the charges, which date from 2005 to 2007, accuse O'Kane of obtaining money and property by deception.

It's alleged that he falsely represented himself as the landowner, builder and developer of the Golden Beach Villas and that he had authority to sell them.

The bulk of the charges have been brought under the Northern Ireland Theft Act but several of them are under the Proceeds of Crime Act relating to the removal of money from the province.

It will be O'Kane's first appearance in court and he will be denying the charges, according to his lawyer, Mr Hugh Leslie from the John J Rice and Company solicitors firm.

It is anticipated that at O'Kane's court hearing at the Laganside courts complex on Friday, August 27, the Public Prosecution Service will apply to have him returned for trial by a jury at Belfast Crown Court for proceedings which could last for at least several months.

In newspaper interviews in 2007, O'Kane claimed he had also been the victim of Turkish fraudsters and he said he returned to Northern Ireland after receiving death threats.