Cem Cengiz Uzan (born 1960 in Adapazarı, Turkey) is a Turkish businessman and politician of Bosnian ancestry involved in the media and banking industries, while also chairing the right-populist Young Party. His family's media empire includes both television stations and print media. He hails from one of Turkey's most influential families, though the family's holdings have faced "scores of civil and criminal lawsuits" alleging various misdeeds, including racketeering, fraud, and libel.[1]
Uzan has often been criticized for using his professional life to bolster his political life, and even benefiting from criminal charges leveled against him.[2] In 2003, U.S. District Court Judge Jed Rakoff commented, "I think the proof is very strong that the Uzans are business imperialists of the worst kind, in that they will go to any lengths, including fraud and racketeering, to preserve their business empire..." Cem Uzan responded by asserting that the judge "is biased against Turkey, against the Turkish people."
He once described a Motorola lawsuit against his family's holdings as "Lies! A bunch of outright lies!"[3]
In 2009, Motorola and Nokia won a $4.8 billion dollar judgement against the Uzan family.[1] The Uzans failed to show up in court and the judge ordered an arrest warrant for them should they enter the United States.[2]
Also in 2009, he fled to France claiming political asylum after being indicted of racketeering in Turkey.[3]
On April 15, 2010, Uzan was sentenced in absentia in Turkey to 23 years in prison [4]