03.08.2026 15:04
The police statement of businessman Hüseyin Başaran, owner of Başaran Holding, who was detained in the Ahbap Association investigation, has emerged. In his statement, Başaran said that he sold 22 properties to Haluk Levent within 2 months for a total of 2 billion 298 million 985 thousand 908 TL, and received only 151 million 680 thousand TL in payment. He recounted that Haluk Levent showed him a school construction photo and said, 'When it's completed, let's name it after your late daughter, brother.'
The police statement of businessman Hüseyin Başaran, owner of Başaran Holding, who was detained in the fourth wave of operations organized by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office as part of the investigation into the Ahbap Association, has emerged.
According to Hürriyet's report, Başaran stated that his monthly income was 500,000 Turkish Liras and that he did not wish to benefit from the provisions of active remorse because he had no ties to any organization.
"HE SHOWED VARIOUS PHOTOS TO CONVINCE ME" Başaran, who said he met Haluk Levent four years ago at a hotel in Trabzon, said, “He had come to a municipal concert in Trabzon. We sat together on the hotel terrace and had tea. At the beginning of February 2026, he came to our construction site called B-House in Göktürk. We sat together, and he said he wanted to look at the apartments. After touring the apartments, he came back to me. He took brochures and catalogs and asked for prices. Then, starting with the aid he had provided in the earthquake zone, he began to describe his own charitable efforts. He said they had built or wanted to continue building girls' dormitories, schools, and homes for earthquake victims. He said he had a pile of projects. Then he mentioned aid funds from abroad, namely from the United States, the European Union, and the United Nations, and showed me pictures of himself with the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations community in America and a video of him playing the guitar. He said these people trusted him greatly and had sent funds for the earthquake zone at various times, and he showed me videos and pictures of many such funds. Seeing these pictures and videos, I took the situation seriously. He said the money from these funds could arrive in periods of 6 to 9 months, but for the funds to arrive, the properties needed to be collected in his Barter Pool. He said the future aid he would provide would also be covered from this Barter Pool."
HE RENEWED TRUST WITH EARLY PAYMENT
Başaran, who said Haluk Levent wanted to buy the properties from him, stated, "He said he would receive funds with these properties, and since these funds would arrive in 4-5 months, he indicated he would make payments on credit. As a result of the trust he established, I accepted the part that the payment for these properties would be on credit. Because normally, I make cash sales. Then he came to the same sales office with Yeliz Kaya, whom he said was his assistant. With the protocol signed on February 3, he requested that a total of 4 properties be transferred to Yeliz Kaya for 602 million Turkish Liras. The reason for this, he said, was that Yeliz Kaya was the official responsible for the funds that would come from abroad. We transferred them. Later, before the due date of the promissory notes, a small part of the first payment was made early from Yeliz Kaya's account. The fact that this payment was made early also created additional trust in me."
"LET'S NAME IT AFTER YOUR LATE DAUGHTER, BROTHER" Başaran, who said Haluk Levent continued to come to his home and workplace constantly in the following period, said, “He started coming to my house almost every day; in fact, on one of those days, he brought his own daughter along. He also brought a picture of a school in Hatay, saying it was completed and suggested, 'Let's name it after your late daughter, brother.' He also showed me a photo showing that he had set up a Ramadan tent and written my daughter's name on it. I believe he did all this because of my sensitivity towards my daughter and to try to make me continue trusting him."
IT ALL HAPPENED IN 2 MONTHS Başaran, stating that Haluk Levent later wanted to buy other properties, also wanted them to be on credit, and said he would pay with the money coming from the funds, said, “From February 2026 until the end of April, we made a total of 22 property sales. All of these properties were transferred to a person named Yeliz Kaya. Sales were made for a total of 2 billion 298 million 985 thousand 908 Turkish Liras, but in return, I only received 151 million 680 thousand Turkish Liras in 4 separate transactions. The prices of the properties transferred to Yeliz Kaya are in line with market values. All of them can be examined. Bank appraisal reports always come out lower than the market value; these should not be taken into account. In fact, we transferred the hazelnut factory belonging to Başaran Trabzon Çimento to Yeliz Kaya for 7 million dollars, although 12 million dollars was normally requested."
"AS THE PAYMENT DAY APPROACHED, HE STARTED STALLING" Başaran, who said that as the payment day approached with the final sale, Haluk Levent began to stall them and did not make payments, stated, “I tried to contact him regarding these payments, but he started not answering my calls. When we did get in touch, he said he was in America, saying, 'I'm in a meeting with the fund officials, I'll be back in a day or two, I'm handling everything, don't worry, brother.' But he didn't come. When I kept insisting on calling, he said he had stomach cancer. As a result, I began to suspect and investigate the situation. As a result of my research, when we had the land registry records examined, we saw that the properties under Yeliz Kaya's name were transferred within 1-2 days to a person named Esin Önder Çağlayan in Ankara or to Kanat Savunma and Globus Savunma, which she owns. Furthermore, we saw that they immediately applied for high amounts of credit and mortgages were placed on all the properties. While 3 of the payments made in 4 separate transactions came from Yeliz Kaya, the last payment was made from Globus Savunma, owned by Esin Önder Çağlayan, with the transaction description 'apartment sale price' in Yeliz Kaya's name. This already shows that these 3 people acted together."
"I DID NOT DONATE TO THE ASSOCIATION, I WAS VICTIMIZED" Başaran, who said he never donated to the Ahbap Association, said, "During the earthquake, I made personal donations through my own company via trucks through official channels. During the earthquake, I personally hosted the earthquake victims there in my own hotel for months. I did these personally. I filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office regarding all transactions related to the properties; I also filed a civil lawsuit requesting interim measures, and these measures were placed on the title deeds. I have been doing this business for many years. I only carried out the sale of properties. And I couldn't get my money; I am the one who was victimized in this matter."
WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE DIFFERENCE? Başaran was asked, "It has been stated that the appraisal value of the residential properties, which you declared as 60 million dollars, is 24 million 800 thousand dollars. Please give your statement regarding the high difference between the value in your declaration and the other declared value?"
Başaran answered this question, "The total amount of the agreement is 2 billion 298 million 985 thousand 908 Turkish Liras. The appraisal reports made by the bank always come out low. All prices are in line with market values. The payment I received is 151 million 680 thousand Turkish Liras. The receipts for this are already present in the documents I submitted."
” he said.