ANKARA – Famous Turkish chef Burak Özdemir, famous as CZN Burak, has gained millions of followers with his heartwarming smile but now he is making headlines for starting legal proceedings against his own father over alleged fraud and exploitation.
The Turkish restauranteur took the extreme step as he encountered issues while helping victims of catastrophic earthquakes and came to know that his father sold rights to his name to others, and some people opened franchise of his restaurant that did not belong to him.
He accused his father identified as Hasan Ozdemir of committing fraud of millions of dollars.
In the case, Burak asked father to pay $10 million in damages, and blamed him for embezzlement of funds and for getting loans in the chef’s name — that too without notifying him.
The chef further claims that his father acquired luxury cars and properties, getting funds from other parties.
His father, on the other hand, turned down all accusations, saying he raked in all that money without any fraudulent intent, and denied defrauding Burak. The accused maintained that the financial assistance provided by his son was used for the promotion of his brand.
Meanwhile, a court in Turkiye is set to hear the case in September this year. In a post on social media, the chef clarified that he has no branches in Istanbul and cautioned others not to visit those eateries.
Czn Burak amassed million of followers online and is known for Smiley Bae, as he started restaurant business, owning a chain of it.
