Key Witness in Cypriot Casino Tycoon Case Shot Dead in Dutch Hotel

Gunmen killed Cemil Önal, who used to manage finances for murdered Turkish Cypriot casino owner Halil Falyalı, at a hotel in Rijswijk, near The Hague, on May 1. 

Önal Shot Weeks After Exposing Political Ties to Mob

Dutch officials said Önal, 41, took bullets while sitting on Hotel Hoevevoorde’s terrace where he was staying. The shooter, a bearded man in black clothes, ran away right after firing three shots up close. Police have started a big search to find him, reported BBC News Turkey.

Once seen as the “money mastermind” behind Falyalı’s shady business empire, Önal has become a central player in ongoing global probes into money laundering and unlawful betting. Dutch police nabbed him in late 2023 following Turkey’s appeal, but did not send him back. Rather, the Dutch legal system started its own case against him. Önal spent 16 months behind bars before getting out last month.

In the weeks before he died, Önal stirred up trouble by talking to reporters about supposed connections between high-ranking Turkish and Cypriot officials and the mob. During an interview that came out in April, he claimed some politicians took bribes linked to Falyalı’s illicit business. He said he had delicate information that could put his life at risk if revealed.

Prosecutors in the Netherlands confirmed that Önal and his lawyers had voiced concerns about threats to his safety several times. Even with these warnings, the authorities said they did not have enough proof to take extra steps to protect him.

Reporter Threatened After Interview With Önal, Days Before His Fatal Shooting

People close to the case said Önal gave a long statement, over 100 pages, to Dutch and American intelligence agencies, revealing details about Falyalı’s activities. He named people linked to illegal betting, money crimes, and attempts to sway political appointments in Northern Cyprus.

His death adds another violent chapter to the story of Halil Falyalı, who was killed in 2022 in a drive-by attack in Girne. This shooting also took the life of his driver. People had long connected Falyalı to criminal groups, and a Turkish crime boss had accused him of playing a key part in a cross-border cocaine smuggling route.

The reporter who talked to Önal, Ayşemden Akın, says she got threats after she shared the shocking claims. She went to the police, filed a report, and gave them a recording of the threats. Detectives in the Netherlands are looking at all possible reasons and following every clue. People are wondering more and more if Önal’s killing was part of a bigger plan to shut up people who speak out against a secret criminal group.