THE desperate British family of a top economist who vanished without trace in Turkey have put up a £30,000 reward for information which leads to his return.
Fit and healthy former bank chief Korhan Berzeg, 83, and his dog Tina never returned from their morning walk near his holiday home 50 days ago.
His distraught wife Angela, 80, yesterday issued an anguished appeal for help – backed by a reward of one million Turkish Lira as the mystery deepened further.
A police search by more than 300 officers backed by dogs, drones and helicopters found no trace of Korhan or Tina after repeatedly scouring vast areas of Gonen in western Turkey.
Korhan worked for the US and Saudi governments before his high-flying career ended and has links to some of Turkey’s most powerful money men.
Wife of 52 years Angela from Blandford, Dorset said: "We will give a reward of 1 million TL to the person who finds Korhan alive. I am still hopeful – I have hope that we will find Korhan safe.
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“Please help me find Korhan. We've always been a very happy family. We've never had a problem with anyone – I want to go back to our happy days.”
“We can't sleep, we don't eat, we don't drink. This uncertainty is very difficult.”
The economics guru’s baffling disappearance and powerful past in government associations have fuelled a host of dark conspiracy theories.
Grandad-of-three Korhan and Angela retired to a beautiful island villa at Buyukada off Istanbul but were at their more modest rural retreat in the Marmara region when he vanished.
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He set off after breakfast at 8.30am for his daily 40 minute stroll around a hilly forest trail near Armutlu Koyu with dog Tina and local adopted stray Esmerelda off the leash at his heels.
Esmerelda came home safe – but alone – 20 minutes later.
Korhan’s disappearance has been compared to the UK case of tragic mum Nicola Bulley, who also vanished while walking with her dog.
But Nicola’s dog Willow turned up unharmed on the day she disappeared in January before her drowned body was found three weeks later after being missed by underwater search teams.
Three-year-old Doberman bitch Tina has become central to the Turkish hunt because – unlike Nicola’s far less fearsome spaniel – she has vanished alongside her owner.
Korhan worked for the US government in Saudi Arabia in the 1980’s then switched to a high-powered role with the Joint Commission On Economic Cooperation in capital Riyadh.
He later advised the Saudis how to shape their booming oil economy and work directly for their government for three years before moving back to the US.
The regular TV pundit later lectured at Istanbul University while working at Alfa Menkul Investment Bank as Chief Economist until it went bust in 2005.
Police probing have looked into his past connections – including his links to the notoriously ruthless Saudi regime behind the butchering of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul in 2018.
The Berzegs have also revealed that was once offered a ministerial post by former President Turgut Özal in the 90’s – but turned it down.
Family lawyer Lawyer M. Emre Akkaş said yesterday: "While Korhan was working at the World Bank, President Özal offered him to be a minister to manage the economy.
“But Korhan did not want this – the current Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek was Korhan's student.”
Korhan’s wife Angela spoke of his professional integrity as she offered the £30,000 reward yesterday.
She said: "It is very difficult to define him – we cannot put him in a mould.
“He is so honest that he would leave a place immediately if there is any mistake in his work or environment."
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Lawyer Mr Akkaş said searches were continuing but police were no longer commenting on the case after declaring their investigation confidential.
Korhan’s family have appealed for anyone with information to contact authorities or to get in touch with them directly by searching Facebook for their page, Missing in Turkey – Korhan Berzeg.
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