72 Suspects, Including Construction Company Owners and Real Estate Appraisers, for Allegedly Granting Turkish Citizenship to Foreigners

The operation, led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and carried out by the Istanbul Police Department's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Unit across 16 provinces, targeted a criminal network accused of fraud, document forgery, and migrant smuggling. Seized assets include 1,045 properties, a hotel in Bodrum, 15 vehicles, a yacht, 10 bank accounts, and seven companies placed under trusteeship. The Interior Ministry announced the cancellation or revocation of citizenship for 6,134 foreigners due to fraudulent transactions and national security concerns.

Justice Minister Akın Gürlek stated that approximately 2.5 billion lira in required foreign currency inflows were not realized, and 687 individuals obtained citizenship through this scheme. Arrest warrants were issued for 90 suspects, including 73 appraisers, with 72 apprehended so far. Notable suspects include İbrahim Halil Babacan, owner of B Grup Yapı, Mehmet Babacan of Babacan Grup, and appraisers Neşecan Çekici and Cansel Şirin Yazıcı.