27.03.2026 12:20
Images have emerged of Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım being detained in a hotel room in Ankara. A 21-year-old woman identified as a municipal employee was present with Mayor Yalım.
As part of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, an investigation was initiated against the suspects, including Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım, for the crimes of "Bribery," "Extortion," and "Interference in Tender." Simultaneous operations were carried out in the provinces of Uşak, Ankara, and Kocaeli as part of the investigation. In the operation, 11 suspects, including Yalım, were taken into custody.
DETAILED IMAGES OF THE ARREST EMERGED
While the repercussions of the incident continue, images of the moments when Mayor Yalım was taken into custody in a hotel room in Ankara have also emerged. According to the claim of TGRT News Ankara Representative Fatih Atik; it was determined that Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım was caught in room 902 of the Crowne Plaza Hotel and that a 21-year-old Uşak Municipality employee named S.A. was present during the arrest.
THE ALLEGATIONS ARE GRAVE
As a result of the investigations conducted by the prosecutor's office, it was alleged that in the tenders given by Uşak Municipality to companies, duplicate invoicing was done, and the resulting difference was taken as a bribe. It was also determined that pressure was exerted to provide partnership shares in newly established businesses related to the tender to the family members of the Mayor, otherwise the tender would not be awarded to the relevant companies.
COLLECTED MONEY UNDER THE NAME OF DONATIONS
It was also determined that the deputy mayors collected large amounts of money into their personal accounts under the name of aid/donations to Uşak Sport, and that cash was brought to the Mayor Özkan Yalım's office under the name of donations and delivered to the private secretary without a receipt, thus misappropriating it. It was also found that the mayor, his assistants, and senior executives in the municipality went to entertainment venues at night and that these expenses were paid from the municipal budget under the name of representation/hosting expenses through meal invoices.
TRANSFERRED HIS ASSETS TO HIS DRIVER, GAVE A POSITION TO HIS GIRLFRIEND
Considering the possibility that the assets obtained by Özkan Yalım through corruption could be seized in the operation, he transferred all of his registered assets to his driver Cihan Aras in 2025. It was also determined that Özkan Yalım hired a woman named A.A., with whom he had a romantic relationship, in a high-salary position in the municipality in 2024, but A.A. did not actually perform any duties in the municipality.
SEALED THE SHOPPING MALL WHEN HE COULDN'T GET 10 VEHICLES
It was found that the personnel actually working at Yalım Garden Facilities, owned by Özkan Yalım, were shown as employees of the municipality and that their insurance premiums were paid through the municipality. It was also determined that Özkan Yalım requested 10 vehicles from businessman E.A., but when E.A. communicated that he would not provide more than 3 vehicles, the shopping mall owned by E.A. was sealed the same week on the grounds that it did not comply with regulations, and a fine of 65 million TL was imposed.
HTS RECORDS EXIST
The prosecutor's office determined that there were intense HTS (communication traffic) records and common base records related to the relevant dates among the individuals involved, based on the statements of the complainants and witnesses. It was found that the MASAK reports contained high-value money movements/assets acquisitions in the suspects' accounts that could not be traced, cash deposit/withdrawal transactions, and high-value swift transfers sent by foreign companies/individuals.
It was assessed that there was a mismatch between the volume and frequency of the financial transactions carried out by the suspects and their financial and professional profiles, and that all of this was consistent with the technical and financial data obtained from the statements of witnesses and complainants.