The Rise and Fall of Asil Nadir: A Storied Tycoon

Turkish Cypriot businessman Asil Nadir, once one of Britain's richest men and a fugitive from justice, has died at 83. Known for his rise through Polly Peck, his life was marked by extravagance, legal troubles, and his influence in both British and Turkish Cypriot societies.

Asil Nadir, a Turkish Cypriot businessman who ascended to the heights of British industry before becoming a fugitive, has passed away at the age of 83. Nadir's death was confirmed by his wife in a social media post, following a period of treatment at a hospital in Northern Cyprus.

Despite amassing significant wealth and influence, including a notable role as a Conservative Party donor, Nadir's life took a dramatic turn when he was accused of embezzling millions from Polly Peck, the conglomerate he had built from struggling beginnings in the 1980s. Fleeing to Northern Cyprus in 1993, he lived there for nearly two decades, maintaining his claims of innocence.

In 2010, Nadir voluntarily returned to Britain, only to be convicted in 2012 for stealing millions. His sentence was partially served in Turkey following a transfer. Nadir's story, encapsulating both immense success and dramatic downfall, remains a testament to the excesses and vulnerabilities of corporate giants.

(With inputs from agencies.)