15.07.2026 21:00
Haluk Levent, who was detained in the Ahbap Association investigation, had been discussed for months over the Nigella World cryptocurrency project. The coin of the network he took over, saying 'We will do great things with Nigella World' and renamed HLKCHAIN, has victimized many people, and investors have taken the process to court.
A second wave operation was conducted in the investigation against the Ahbap Association, and 39 suspects were detained across two operations. Among those detained was the association's president, Haluk Levent. The artist faces charges of violating associations law, laundering assets derived from crime, and membership in an organization. The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office reported that approximately 120 million lira was transferred from the association's treasury to suspicious accounts, while the MASAK report highlighted account movements and investigations into qualified fraud.
The origins of the cryptocurrency allegations date back to 2024. Nigella World, which sells black seed capsules and oil, was founded by Fatih Eke and had established its own blockchain, wallet, and staking system. The network's coin rose to $105 on October 8, 2024, then sharply collapsed, causing significant losses for those who bought at the peak. Haluk Levent argued that he did not advertise the coin at the time, only promoting Nigella World's organic farming projects, which were perceived as a coin. As loss claims grew, some victims filed lawsuits with the judiciary.
"I COVERED THE LOSSES OF 1,052 VICTIMS EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO INVOLVEMENT"
In a lengthy post on his social media account on June 24, Haluk Levent stated that he had started covering the losses of 1,052 crypto victims despite having no involvement, and that he took responsibility and compensated everyone's losses even if there was a 1% mistake. The artist reiterated that he did not advertise crypto, attributing his financial difficulties to personal HLKCHAIN investments and these payments, causing delays in payments to many parties and leading him to create payment plans.
The artist argued that his personal debts should not be confused with the Ahbap Association. He noted that the association's accounts are audited annually by the Ministry of Interior and that an international auditing firm, Grant Thornton, has been engaged for all accounts since the earthquake period. Additionally, in 2025, a court imposed an approximately 70 million lira judicial fine on Haluk Levent due to two bounced checks.
HLK COIN SUFFERS 90% LOSS
With the news of the detention, HLK Coin plummeted again. Having lost almost all its value since its peak, the coin fell from around $0.16 on the day of the artist's detention to $0.035, dropping about 80% in the last week. The cryptocurrency's loss over the past year exceeded 90%, causing heavy losses for investors once more.
Haluk Levent's career is no stranger to prison time. The artist was arrested in Antalya in 1997 for bounced checks and served about nine months in prison. In 2010, he was imprisoned again for a finalized sentence related to fraud and bounced checks.