06.12.2025 08:21
As part of the gambling investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, detention orders were issued for 46 suspects, and 38 of these suspects have been detained. The operation includes names such as Mert Hakan Yandaş, Metehan Baltacı, Ahmet Çakar, Zorbay Küçük, and Murat Sancak, and the suspects are charged with three offenses. Meanwhile, the first statement from Mert Hakan Yandaş has been released.
An operation was carried out in the morning as part of the betting investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. A detention order was issued for 46 suspects, including names such as Mert Hakan Yandaş, Metehan Baltacı, Ahmet Çakar, Zorbay Küçük, and Murat Sancak, and 38 of the suspects were detained. Efforts are ongoing to capture 8 fugitives, 5 of whom are determined to be abroad.
3 DIFFERENT CRIMES ALLEGED The names of those detained and the reasons for their detention were announced as follows:
1) Licensed football players who placed bets on the matches of the teams they are part of:
Metehan Baltacı (Galatasaray), Abdulsamet Burak (Kayserispor), Abdurrahman Bayram (Sakaryaspor), Ahmet Abdullah Çakmak (Sivasspor), Alessane Ndao (Konyaspor-Abroad), Arda Türken (Sakaryaspor), Bartu Kaya (Amedspor), Cengiz Demir (Hatayspor), Emircan Çiçek (Pendikspor), Ensar Bilir (Boluspor), Erene Karadağ (Çorumspor), Erhan Çelenk (Serikspor), İsmail Kalburcu (Boluspor), İzzet Furkan Malak (Göztepespor), Kadir Kaan Yurdakul (Manisaspor), Kerem Yusuf Sirkeci (Fatih Karagümrükspor), Muhammed Furkan Özhan (Erzurumspor), Oktay Aydın (Amedspor), Orkun Özdemir (Boluspor), Salih Malkoçoğlu (Trabzonspor), Samet Karabatak (Manisaspor), Tolga Kalender (Bandırmaspor), Uğur Adem Gezer (Amedspor), Uğur Kaan Yıldız (Göztepespor), Yunus Emre Tekoğul (Sakaryaspor), Yusuf Özdemir (Alanyaspor), Yücel Gürol (Adanademirspor).
2) Names identified as having suspicious financial transactions as a result of bank account examinations and placing bets through second parties such as spouses, friends, and relatives:
Mert Hakan Yandaş (Fenerbahçe captain), Ersen Dikmen (the person who placed bets for Mert Hakan Yandaş), Ahmet Çakar (former referee-sports commentator), Hayriye Arzu Çakar (Ahmet Çakar's wife and the person who placed bets for Çakar), Murat Sancak (former president of Adanademirspor Sports Club), Metin Korkmaz (Vice President of Adanademirspor), Emrah Çelik (former Vice President of Antalyaspor), Zorbay Küçük (top-class referee) Allegation of match-fixing
3) Names and actions of those involved in actions and behaviors aimed at influencing match results:
2nd League White Group match played on April 28, 2024, between Ankara-Nazilli Belediyespor: Ahmet Okatan (owner of Ankaraspor Club), Mehmet Emin Katipoğlu (President of Ankaraspor Club), Şahin Kaya (President of Nazilli Belediyespor Club), Volkan Erten (Goalkeeper Coach of Nazilli Belediyespor), Gürhan Sönmez (Coach of Nazilli Belediyespor)
TFF 1st League match played on December 24, 2023, between Ümraniyespor-Giresunspor: Faruk Can Genç (former Giresunspor player), Cüneyt Semirli (businessman. Admitted to giving $20,000 in match-fixing money to player Faruk Genç and is now a 'remorseful' person), Ümit Kaya (betting shop operator), Koray Şanlı (former Adanaspor player and manager), Cenk Sarıtaş (former player), Gamze Neli Kaya.
FIRST STATEMENT FROM MERT HAKAN Sports writer İbrahim Seten shared the information he obtained after the operation. Seten recounted the conversation Mert Hakan Yandaş had with the club lawyers. Seten stated, "Mert Hakan Yandaş told the club lawyers, 'I have nothing to do with this, I did not play. I lent money to Ersen Dikmen and he paid me back. We had some money exchanges, all of this stems from that.'"
8 PEOPLE HAD BEEN ARRESTED IN THE FIRST OPERATION In the first operation in November, 21 people were detained, and eight people, including Eyüpspor President Murat Özkaya and referees Erkan Arslan, Yakup Yapıcı, and Nevzat Okat, were arrested. During this process, 149 referees were given bans ranging from eight to 12 months, and 1,024 players were referred to the Professional Football Discipline Board (PFDK) by the TFF, with 102 players receiving penalties ranging from 45 days to 12 months.