17.07.2026 13:41
In the scope of the investigation against Ahbap Association, Oğuzhan Uğur, the founder of Babala TV, who was detained, faces charges of money laundering and membership in an organization.
Within the scope of the Ahbap Association investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, detention decisions were issued for 9 people, including Oğuzhan Uğur, and 7 people, including Uğur, were detained in an operation organized by the Financial Crimes Investigation Branch Directorate. It was learned that among those detained were financial auditors, AHBAP employees, and a person engaged in cryptocurrency business. While the procedures of Oğuzhan Uğur and the 7 other suspects, who were taken to the Vatan Security Directorate, continue at the police station, new details regarding the investigation have been obtained.
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY FROM ABROAD DETECTED IN THEIR ACCOUNTS
It was revealed that after the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş in 2023, Oğuzhan Uğur, the founder of Babala TV, received large amounts of foreign currency from abroad into his bank accounts following appeals. The unusual activity in the account movements at a private bank was reported to the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) by the bank officials. Accordingly, MASAK initiated an investigation by examining the account activity under a microscope. Where the substantial amount of foreign currency, estimated to be largely from expatriate citizens abroad, entering Uğur's bank account from overseas was transferred remains unknown.
HERE ARE THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST OĞUZHAN UĞUR
During the CNN Türk live broadcast, reporter Merve Tokaz shared the information she obtained regarding the allegations that led to Oğuzhan Uğur's detention. She stated that Uğur was detained on charges of "Laundering of crime proceeds" and "Membership in an organization".
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION?
The Istanbul Security Directorate Financial Crimes Investigation Branch, coordinated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, had conducted work to prevent the crimes of "establishing an organization to commit a crime," "qualified fraud," and "laundering of asset values derived from crime," as well as to apprehend the suspects.
In this context, as a result of MASAK reports prepared regarding Ahbap Association employees, account activity reviews, and technical and physical surveillance efforts, it was determined that the suspects had high-value money movements inconsistent with their financial profiles, conducted large money transfers among themselves, transferred significant amounts of money to gambling accounts and placed bets, thereby losing large sums of money, and also carried out a chain of numerous property title deed transfers among themselves within a short period.
Within the scope of the investigation, 17 suspects, including the association's founder, singer Haluk Levent, who were identified as being connected to Ahbap Association members and employees, were detained in an operation conducted on July 12. In the continuation of the efforts, 7 more suspects were apprehended.
In a simultaneous operation conducted by the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch Directorate in Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli, and Muğla, 17 more suspects were detained.
Following their procedures at the police station, 1 suspect was released, while 14 of the 23 suspects referred to the courthouse, including Haluk Levent, were arrested.