12.06.2026 15:00
In a major investigation conducted over allegations of profiteering and irregularities in some operations and transactions at the Silivri Municipality, 17 people, including Mayor Bora Balcıoğlu and his Deputy Fatih Yavuz, have been detained. In the investigation coordinated by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a land scam exceeding 21 million TL, euros delivered in a black box, a bribe of 450 thousand dollars handed over in cash, and irregularities in the recruitment of municipal police have been exposed one by one.
The Silivri district of Istanbul is being rocked by a massive corruption and bribery operation that has shaken the local government level. In line with the comprehensive investigation conducted by the Silivri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, security forces took action in the morning hours.
As part of the operation, a total of 17 suspects, including Silivri Mayor Bora Balcıoğlu and Deputy Mayor Fatih Yavuz, were taken into custody. The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office determined that processes related to zoning, permits, sealing, illegal construction, personnel recruitment, and real estate sales were illegally used for the purpose of obtaining benefits.
HERE ARE THE PROMINENT CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS
- 21 Million lira green area and land scandal: A privately owned real estate of 5,368 square meters in the Balaban neighborhood of Silivri district was designated as a green area as a result of a previous zoning application, and a disposal process was carried out by erasing the property rights. Later, this real estate was converted into an industrial plot through a re-creation process, merged with the adjacent land owned by S.S. İkitelli Silivri Mixed Industrial Site Construction Cooperative (Former name: İkitelli Silivri Collective Workplace Construction Cooperative), and sold through a tender. Although it was legally mandatory to return this real estate, removed from green area status, to its former owner and it could not be transferred to another person without this process, this low-value sale caused a public loss of 21,522,717 Turkish Liras and 40 kuruş. This fact has been confirmed by an expert report. The name of this cooperative also appears in the İBB investigation statements as "the place where money obtained from illegal tenders was laundered by purchasing real estate."
- Allegation of a $450,000 bribe handed over in cash by a contractor: A suspect contractor operating in Silivri is alleged to have directly handed over $450,000 in cash to Mayor Bora Balcıoğlu in order to obtain occupancy permits for his projects. According to the tip, when delivering the money, the contractor took back $2,000; however, after the Mayor said the money was incomplete, he then gave that $2,000 back as well. Following the contractor openly stating this situation in public areas, bank account examinations revealed that cash withdrawals in dollars, in the specified amounts and dates, were detected.
- Bribe of €40,200 in a black box: Within the scope of the investigation, a cafe operator who had previously given a statement confessed sincerely, stating that to obtain the 5-year operating rights, he delivered €40,200 in cash in a black box to the former District Chairman of CHP at the party building, under the knowledge of current Mayor Bora Balcıoğlu.
- Illegal occupancy permits and bribery-ignored illegal structures: It was determined that occupancy permits were provided for 3 villas, which should not have been granted permits due to legal requirements, in exchange for bribes. Additionally, it was established that a construction waste crime committed by a company building illegal structures in the district was ignored without any legal action in exchange for a bribe of 300,000 TL, resulting in illegality.
- The mayor's unexplained luxurious lifestyle and 40 million lira villa: It was noted that Bora Balcıoğlu's assets showed an exorbitant increase inconsistent with luxurious living standards after he became the Silivri Mayor. Investigations alleged that Balcıoğlu purchased the luxury villa he currently resides in for approximately 40 million TL, with an untraceable source, made high-cost renovation payments in cash, and frequently went on foreign holidays, living a luxurious life incompatible with his current legal income.
- Bribe tariff in municipal police recruitment and refund scheme through relative accounts: A total of 400,000 TL per person bribe was demanded from 4 individuals seeking to be hired as municipal police officers at the Silivri Municipality: 200,000 TL before employment and 200,000 TL after hiring. In this context, the candidates initially paid 200,000 TL each, but later 3 candidates' applications were rejected. Bank account examinations revealed that the 200,000 TL bribe paid by one rejected candidate was refunded in installments through the accounts of municipality employees and their relatives.
INVESTIGATION EXPANDS WITH SERIOUS CHARGES
Legal proceedings are being conducted against the suspects for the crimes of "Establishing and managing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime," "Being a member of an organization," "Accepting and giving bribes," "Extortion," "Trading in influence," "Misuse of office," "Rigging a tender," "Rigging a contract performance," "Causing zoning pollution," and "Laundering of assets derived from crime." The questioning of the 17 suspects at the police department continues.