Nadir flight 'financed by mother'

ASIL NADIR'S flight from Britain was apparently financed by his mother, who arranged for pounds 84,000 to be smuggled out of Northern Cyprus to assist the fugitive businessman's escape, writes Gail Counsell.

The Turkish newspaper Sabah said that Mrs Nadir gave the money in cash to a close friend of the family, who took it in a suitcase from Northern Cyprus to Izmir in Turkey.

It was then banked with Citibank and transferred from Turkey to London on 5 April. There is no suggestion that Citibank was aware of the origin of the money or its purpose.

Once in London, the money was supposed to have been collected from a number of accounts at various banks in different names and used to pay for the costs of the escape, including the hire of a plane.

Nadir, who faces charges of theft in connection with the pounds 1.3bn collapse of his Polly Peck conglomorate, jumped his record pounds 3.5m bail on 4 May.

He flew by private jet to his home in Northern Cyprus, with which the UK has no extradition arrangements.

Polly Peck's administrators have obtained a pounds 73m judgment against Mrs Nadir, who is alleged to have unlawfully obtained the money from the company.

View from City Road, page 24