Prominent Turkish businessman briefly questioned by FBI in New York

Erden Timur, a former executive of Galatasaray and a prominent Turkish businessman, was reportedly detained by the FBI at New York’s JFK Airport, according to journalist Lube Ayar and Mehmet Sumer.

Timur is allegedly being questioned as part of an ongoing investigation involving New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Lube Ayar, in a statement on her personal X account, claimed that Timur’s detention is linked to an investigation surrounding Mayor Adams, who is accused of accepting bribes and illegal donations from at least one Turkish official and five businesspeople.

Allegations of bribery and illegal donations

According to Ayar, Timur is being questioned regarding his involvement in the scandal, which centers on possible illegal contributions to Mayor Adams’ campaign.

Yet he is not arrested. Timur has denied any involvement, stating that while he was questioned by the FBI about possible donations to Adams, he confirmed that he had not made any contributions.

Journalist Mehmet Sumer said, “He confirmed that when he arrived in New York two days ago, he was detained by the FBI at JFK Airport and asked questions about New York Mayor Eric Adams. Timur said he was asked if he had donated to Adams’ campaign and that he had not.”

No official statement yet

At this stage, no official statement has been made by U.S. authorities or representatives of Erden Timur regarding the details of the investigation or the allegations.

Timur is the owner of Nef Construction, a company with significant real estate investments in Brooklyn, New York. Further details about the ongoing investigation are expected to emerge as the situation develops.