47 more detained in corruption probe targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality
A pedestrian walks in front of the Istanbul Municipality headquarters in Istanbul on March 19, 2025. (AFP Photo)
In the ongoing corruption investigation targeting Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), authorities have detained 47 additional suspects during a series of operations.
Investigation involving Ekrem Imamoglu and other officials continues
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is leading the investigation, including former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was arrested and suspended from his position.
The suspects are facing charges of “leading a criminal organization,” “membership in a criminal organization,” “bribery,” “embezzlement,” “aggravated fraud,” “unlawful acquisition of personal data,” and “rigging public tenders.”
New arrest orders and expanded operations across Türkiye
Authorities issued new arrest warrants for 53 individuals as part of the investigation.
Following these warrants, teams from the Financial Crimes Department conducted operations across Istanbul, Ankara, and Tekirdag. As a result, 47 suspects were detained.
Search operations at the homes and workplaces of the suspects are ongoing.
Senior municipality officials among detainees
Notable names among those detained include:
- ISKI General Manager Safak Basa
- Bakirkoy Deputy Mayor and IBB Assembly Member Ali Riza Akyuz
- Former CHP Istanbul Deputy Turan Ayogan
- ISKI Environmental Inspection Department Head Adem Sanlisoy
- IMM Bosphorus Zoning Director Elcin Karaoglu
- Real Estate Consultant Mehmet Sahin
- Former General Manager of Istanbul Construction Company (Istanbul Imar Insaat AS), Onur Soyturk
- Deputy General Managers of Kultur AS Erdinc Colak and Onur Aldi
- Assistant Advertisement Manager of Kultur AS Hakan Karakose
- Financial Advisor Meral Cakir
- Businessman Dursun Balcioglu
- IMM Chief of Staff Kadriye Kasapoglu
- Businessmen Mete Maden, Cevat Kaya, and Rasim Kaya
- ISTTELKOM General Manager Melih Gecek
- IMM Information Technology Department Head Naim Erol Ozguner
- IMM engineer and advisor Yakup Oner
- Former IMM Deputy Secretary General Turgut Tuncay Onbilgin
- IMM Deputy Secretary General Arif Gurkan Alpay
- Former IMM Deputy Secretary General Murat Yazici
- Former IMM Secretary General Mehmet Cakilcioglu
- IMM advisor and the spouse of MEDYA AS Murat Ongun, Zeynep Ayten Gozdem Ongun
- IMM Study and Projects Department Head Serap Obekci
- Former Study and Projects Department Head Ihsan Yilmaz
- Former Real Estate Management Department Head Ali Aycicek
- Expropriation Branch Manager Fatih Ozcelik
- ISKI Deputy General Manager Begum Celikdelen
- Former Municipal Police Department Head Engin Ulusoy
- Former Financial Services Department Head Murat Selvi
- IMM Writing and Resolutions Department Head Nurten Ugursoy
- IMM Urban Planning Department Head Ramazan Gulten
- Former Deputy Advertisement Branch Manager Hulya Kirlikova
- Yesim Ozay
- Oya Ozınan
- Mustafa Kemal Ozcengiz
- Smart City Branch Programmer Onur Can Tekbas
- Former ISKI Procurement Chief Faik Ozberk
- IMM European Side Municipal Police Chief Hakan Aplak
- Kultur AS Payment Officer Gokhan Koseoglu
- Kultur AS Advertisement Chief Metin Bal
- IMM Anatolian Side Municipal Police Chief Nazan Baselli
Among the detainees is also Caglar Turkmen, a security guard for Ekrem Imamoglu, identified in footage from Oct. 12, 2024, for obstructing surveillance camera recordings.
Search for remaining suspects underway
Efforts are underway to locate and detain the six suspects who remain at large.
The investigation remains active as authorities work to gather further evidence and complete the legal process.
