Murat Ongun's wife defended the 600,000 lira that came into his account by saying: "It was money for prayer beads."

29.04.2025 12:30

The statement of Zeynep Ayten Gözdem Ongun, the wife of Murat Ongun, one of the 52 people detained in the second wave of the investigation into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), has emerged. Ongun stated that the 600,000 TL sent on February 21, 2025, from the company Adstation Event Medya AŞ, which is linked to one of the suspects in the İBB investigation, Ahmet Palazoğlu, was for "a payment related to a gift design of prayer beads that I sold to this company."

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One of the 52 people detained in the second wave of the investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), Murat Ongun's wife, Zeynep Ayten Gözdem Ongun's statement has emerged.

"I DESIGNED AND SOLD GIFT ROSARIES"

Ongun stated regarding the 600,000 TL sent to her account on February 21, 2025, by Adstation Event Media Inc., owned by Ahmet Palazoğlu, who is among the suspects of the investigation, "There is only a commercial relationship between Adstation and us. As far as I remember, I designed and sold gift rosaries to this company. This payment is the counterpart of this commercial work. All transaction documents and invoices are also available."

"IT WAS MY SON'S HOLIDAY ALLOWANCE"

When asked about the source of the 13,800 TL in cash found at her address, Zeynep Ayten Gözdem Ongun said, "13,800 TL is my son's holiday allowance. The others are money that I obtained from my own and borrowed funds due to my husband's detention, which I kept at my residence to use in case of need. My son has a school payment coming up soon. Therefore, it is normal for such an amount of money to be present at my residence."

"HE SAID İMAMOĞLU IS HELPING, BUT..."

On the other hand, Murat Ongun, who is detained for being an organization leader, stated in a press release that he paid the annual rent of his luxury residence, which is 3.7 million TL, with the help of IMM President Ekrem İmamoğlu. However, it was understood that the annual amount paid for the house rent in 2024 was made by Murat Ongun's wife Zeynep herself, but the payment of 4.5 million TL to Zeynep Ongun's account came from an account belonging to a private company, not from an account belonging to İmamoğlu.

"IF YOU DON'T SEND MONEY, YOUR BUSINESS WON'T RUN" THREAT

It was determined that Murat Ongun requested payments in the name of his wife Zeynep Ayten Gözdem Ongun from companies that won tenders from IMM's subsidiary Media Inc. During this process, it was learned that Emrah Bağdatlı, known as Ongun's cashier, pressured the companies that won the tenders, and that Bağdatlı threatened the companies he contacted that if they did not send money to Ongun's wife, their business would not run, and that judicial authorities have evidence of these communications.

ALL LARGE PAYMENTS DOCUMENTED

It was understood that the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, working with MASAK, documented that large amounts of payments were made to Zeynep Ongun's account from IMM and especially from many companies that won tenders from Media Inc. following the incoming notifications.