Gürlek Announced That 13 People Were Detained in Istanbul in the Fourth Wave Operation of the Investigation Into the Friends

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced that 13 people were detained in Istanbul in the fourth wave operation of the investigation into the Friends Association. It is now possible to follow the agenda on BBC Turkish on WhatsApp. Minister Gürlek announced that within the scope of the investigation, issues such as "housing and container purchases, suspicious real estate transfers, checks issued by the association and financial and commercial relations" were examined.

The investigation first examines the allegation that some companies to which the association made agreements for the construction of housing in 2023 and transferred a significant amount of money from donations did not complete the houses they promised. In this context, proceedings were initiated against four officials from three companies. It was also stated that it was determined that a container was purchased from a company on behalf of the association, and D.Ş., responsible for purchasing on behalf of the association, was included in the investigation due to its role in the payment and supply processes.

Another part of the investigation is the real estate transferred to Haluk Levent's assistant. A total of 59 immovable properties are claimed to be transferred from three companies and one individual. In connection with these transfers, Başaran Holding A.Ş. Action was taken against four people, including the owner Hüseyin Başaran.

Hüseyin Başaran's name was also mentioned in Haluk Levent's statement. In his statement at the police station, Haluk Levent claimed that there was a "real estate issue" between him and Hüseyin Başaran, one of the complainants of the file, before exercising his right to remain silent. During the investigation, the circulation and collection processes of some checks issued by the association were examined, and action was taken against two people who were stated to be the last endorsers of the checks.

The last endorser is the authorized person who is the last link in the endorsement chain of a negotiable instrument such as a promissory note or a check, and who last transferred or held the instrument. Another person whose financial and commercial relationship with Haluk Levent was considered to be "suspicious" was among the names detained within the scope of the investigation. The investigation is being carried out on charges of "violation of the Law on Associations", "laundering of assets resulting from crime" and "membership in a organisation".

In its written statement on the subject on July 12, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the investigation initiated upon allegations that "donations collected on behalf of the Friends Association were transferred to the accounts of some suspects in high amounts" was continuing "meticulously". The statement includes allegations that the donations collected by the Buddy Association during the earthquakes on February 6, 2023 were transferred to personal accounts by the suspects, bets were placed, and transferred to third parties.