22.05.2025 23:04
In the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, 13 out of 20 suspects who were detained on the grounds of being involved in irregular tenders at Media Inc. and Culture Inc., and in the processes of receiving bribes within this scope, have been arrested. In the prosecutor's referral letter, it was stated that one of the arrested individuals, Taner Çetin, the Head of the Press, Publication, and Public Relations Department of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, is held responsible for a total of 20 actions.
```html
The corruption investigation involving suspects, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was removed from his position as the Mayor of Istanbul after his arrest by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, continues. The charges include "being a leader of a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," "bribery," "extortion," "qualified fraud," "illegally obtaining personal data," and "interfering with a tender."
13 SUSPECTS ARRESTED Twenty suspects, who were detained for allegedly being involved in irregular tenders at Media A. Ş. and Kültür A. Ş., were sent to the courthouse. After their procedures at the prosecutor's office, 13 of the suspects were arrested by the court. One suspect was placed under house arrest, while six suspects were subjected to judicial control conditions, including a travel ban and signing in. It was learned that among those arrested was Taner Çetin, the Head of the Press and Public Relations Department of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM).
"ACTED UNDER MURAT ONGUN" Meanwhile, the prosecutor's referral letter regarding the suspect whose arrest was requested drew attention to the irregularities in the tender processes. The letter stated that suspect Taner Çetin, the Head of the Press and Public Relations Department of IMM, started working during İmamoğlu's tenure as the Mayor of Beylikdüzü and was assigned to the Press and Public Relations Department during İmamoğlu's term as the Mayor of IMM.
Taner Çetin, Head of the Press and Public Relations Department of IMM In the HTS examinations of the suspect, it was stated that Çetin acted under the suspect Murat Ongun. According to the reports obtained from MASAK and the examinations of the tender documents, it was noted that Çetin served as the "spending authority" in 17 tenders with a structure he created with both municipal personnel and business people in his area of responsibility, and he was responsible for a total of 20 actions related to other tenders.
STATEMENTS OF THE INFORMANT IN THE REFERRAL LETTER The letter indicated that, based on the examination of account movements and the statements of the suspect Noyan Kırmızıgül, who benefited from effective remorse, Çetin received bribes and obtained material benefits for both his personal gain and the continuity of the organization under the organization’s structure. It was expressed that there is strong suspicion of Çetin committing the crimes of "being a member of a criminal organization," "receiving bribes," "interfering with a tender," and "fraud to the detriment of a public institution."
DETERMINATION OF SUSPECT ENGİN GÖNÜL'S ACTIVE ROLE IN TENDER PROCESSES The letter stated that suspect Hüseyin Kum was one of the business people working in connection with Taner Çetin within the structure linked to Ongun, and it was noted that he participated in tenders with his own company named Kazzana Reklam ve Dekorasyon Sanayi Ticaret Ltd. Şti. It was emphasized that as a result of the examination of the company's other commercial connections, it was understood that high-value money transfers were made to various companies through another company owned by Hüseyin Kum, "A4 Grafik Matbaacılık Yay. Ker. ve Bil. Hizm. Ltd. Şti."
It was stated that suspect Engin Gönül was also one of the business people working in connection with Taner Çetin within the structure linked to Ongun, and he participated in tenders with his company named EG Eğitim Reklam ve Organizasyon. It was reported that the suspect had a social security registration with the firm Avcılar Dil Konuşturma ve Eğitim Hizmetleri Tic. Ltd. Şti. from January 2015 to 2024, where irregularities in the tender were detected. The letter noted that Gönül was not only an official of a company participating in the tender but also a person with an active and continuous network of relationships in the tender processes.
DETERMINATION THAT PUBLIC TENDERS WERE NOT CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMPETITION PRINCIPLES The letter stated that Gönül's inter-company and inter-personal money transfers, along with long-term social security relationships, indicated that public tenders were not conducted in accordance with the principles of impartiality, transparency, and competition. It was reported that some real and legal persons participating in public tenders made agreements contrary to the principle of free competition to enter the tender together and made attempts to determine the outcome in advance.
In the examination of suspect Gönül's phone and during the searches, it was stated that the suspect Fikri Murat Demir, an official of Yeni Fikir Eğitim Tasarım ve Reklam AŞ, used the company seal and information belonging to Engin Gönül in public tenders, and it was noted that Gönül committed the crimes of "being a member of a criminal organization" and "fraud to the detriment of a public institution."
The letter stated that suspect Mustafa Karaoğlu served in the Beylikdüzü Municipality between 2015-2023, and according to the MASAK investigation, he was a member of the commission in public tenders conducted within the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and its affiliated organizations.
The letter stated that a total of 22,000 lira was transferred to Karaoğlu's bank account by suspect Fikri Murat Demir, who won the tender, on different dates in 2019 and 2020, and it was expressed that this payment was made by Demir to Karaoğlu without any repayment or counteraction.
The letter indicated that suspect Musa Özışık was also found to have served as a member of the tender commission in public tenders at IMM, and it was emphasized that Taner Çetin was influential in Özışık's start of duty at IMM in 2021, and it was stated that suspect Özışık committed the crimes of "being a member of a criminal organization" and "fraud to the detriment of a public institution."
FINDINGS REGARDING ÇEŞME DEPUTY MAYOR GÜLİN It was recorded in the letter that Çeşme Deputy Mayor Onur Gülin worked at IMM between 2021-2024 and that his initiation process was carried out under the guidance of Taner Çetin. In a phone conversation in 2021, it was noted that Fikri Murat Demir sent information belonging to the Avcılar Dil Konuşturma company to Onur Gülin, and Gülin wrote, "Bro, we talked to the president yesterday, he talked to you, he doesn't want Avcılar Dil to show up, what are we going to do?"
The letter continued: "Following this, Fikri Murat Demir also sent information belonging to NYN Yapım Prodüksiyon company, but the person named Onur Gülin wrote, 'Bro, they want an education company,' and following this, Fikri Murat Demir's Kırmızı Farkındalık Danışmanlık Ltd.
``````html
It has been determined that information belonging to the company was sent to Onur Gülin, and in the content of the meeting dated December 21, 2023, it was noted that Demir sent a Unit Price Proposal Table to Gülin and wrote, 'Onur, you can add about 50 percent on these raw costs, even 100 percent.' It has been understood that the unit price proposal table includes a list showing the quantities and prices of products such as a hero frame, a special boxed Turkish flag, chocolate, nostalgic gift package dolls for children, etc.
"HE TRANSFERRED MONEY FROM HIS OWN ACCOUNT" The report also included findings regarding suspect Aslı Siyahgül, stating that she was an employee of Yeni Fikir Eğitim Tasarım ve Reklam AŞ, which was involved in some public tenders belonging to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) and was evaluated to be conducted under Çetin's coordination. It was noted that this company gained an advantage in public tenders by "manipulating the tender."
In the report, it was stated that during this process, Siyahgül transferred money from her own account to the bank account of suspect Arzu Can, who is Çetin's assistant, on behalf of Yeni Fikir Eğitim Tasarım ve Reklam AŞ. It was recorded that the money collected in this account was used for installment payments to an automotive company in Çetin's name, and this situation was reflected in the MASAK reports.
The report described that Siyahgül acted as an intermediary in corruption activities related to public tenders, stating that account information was used in the money laundering process and that she provided covert support in financial transactions while acting under Murat Ongun.
The report noted that there is concrete evidence that suspect Nihat Kolamber committed the crimes of "being a member of a criminal organization" and "fraud to the detriment of a public institution." It was requested that the suspects be ordered to be arrested for the reasons described.
```