31.10.2026 17:50
In the investigation into the Sarıgül family, Cihan Tunç, who was arrested on October 24, claimed that Emir Sarıgül, whom he said he had known for 25 years during Mustafa Sarıgül’s tenure as Mayor of Şişli, had a private room allocated to him on the 6th floor of the municipality. Tunç alleged that Emir Sarıgül carried out business follow-ups there and met with the owners of constructions such as Astoria, Cevahir Shopping Mall, and Trump Towers.
In Tunç’s statement, alongside the claim of a private room, there were also allegations regarding money transfers abroad, forged signatures, money movements through a waterfront mansion and a boat, and company relationships. Stating that he had known Emir Sarıgül for about 25 years, Tunç requested that his statement be evaluated in his favor.
“HE HAD A PRIVATE ROOM ALLOCATED TO HIMSELF ON THE 6TH FLOOR OF THE MUNICIPALITY”
Cihan Tunç, who testified in the “money laundering” investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office against the Sarıgül family, said the following regarding Emir Sarıgül’s activities at the municipality:
“I have known Emir Sarıgül for about 25 years. After his father Mustafa Sarıgül became mayor, Emir Sarıgül had a private room allocated to him on the 6th floor of the municipality. He began following business there. During the processes in which many construction projects were ongoing, he would hold meetings with the construction owners. As far as I know, he held many meetings regarding buildings under construction such as Astoria, Cevahir Shopping Mall, and Trump Towers. However, I do not know the content of these meetings.”
“IN MY FIRST STATEMENT, I COULD NOT TELL IT BECAUSE OF THE SHOCK”
Tunç, one of the notable names in the investigation, began his statement with the words: “On the day my first statement was taken, I could not tell what I knew because of the shock of the incident. Now, before you, I want to tell what I know.”
“DESPITE BEING IN THE HOSPITAL, HE WAS SHOWN AS IF HE WERE WORKING AT THE MUNICIPALITY”
Stating that in 2009 Osman Aslan was responsible for the municipality’s zoning affairs, Tunç made the following allegation:
“At that time, Osman Aslan was receiving cancer treatment at the American Hospital. With Mustafa Sarıgül’s instruction, all signatures were signed by Osman Aslan’s secretary so that the zoning affairs could continue. Although Osman Aslan was in the hospital, he was shown as if he were working at the municipality. The signatures made in his name from the period he received treatment until his death are forged. They were signed by his secretary.”
HE CLAIMED THAT MUNICIPAL RECORDS WERE CHANGED
Saying that Davut Kaymak served as the municipality’s information processing manager, Tunç said: “I had heard from within the municipality that Davut Kaymak made changes to the dates related to taxes paid by citizens and deleted some records. However, I do not have detailed knowledge about the changes made and the deleted records. I estimate that these changes may be related to the zoning affairs carried out during the period when Osman Aslan was in the hospital.”
“I UNDERSTOOD THAT THEY SENT MONEY ABROAD BY DEPOSITING CASH INTO THE COMPANY”
Tunç, who also made allegations regarding the Kredi West Faktoring company, which he stated was linked to the Altınbaş family, said: “From my phone conversations with Emir Sarıgül, I understood that Mustafa Sarıgül and Emir Sarıgül sent money abroad by depositing cash into this company. If research is conducted regarding the company, this will come to light.”
HE CLAIMED THAT MONEY WAS SENT TO SWITZERLAND
Stating that İlhami Kaymak had a long-standing acquaintance with Mustafa Sarıgül and Emir Sarıgül, Tunç said he thought money transfers were made through Kaymak’s connections in Switzerland. Tunç noted the following:
“From my phone conversations with Emir Sarıgül, I understood that Mustafa Sarıgül and Emir Sarıgül sent money to Switzerland by signing sham promissory notes with İlhami Kaymak and creating a so-called debtor-creditor relationship. Emir Sarıgül constantly said that he and his father held meetings with İlhami Kaymak, and that İlhami Kaymak was following transactions with a factoring company in Switzerland. There was a constant money relationship among them. However, I do not know who owns the factoring company in Switzerland or its name.”
“HE HAD SAID HE WOULD TAKE GOLD AND DIAMONDS ABROAD”
Also speaking about the period when Emir Sarıgül and Fatoş Altınbaş were married, Tunç raised the following allegations:
“While Emir Sarıgül and Fatoş Altınbaş were married, they would constantly travel abroad on a private jet belonging to Burak Kaya. Emir Sarıgül told me that Fatoş Altınbaş bought gold and diamonds at the Grand Bazaar and that he would take them abroad on the jet belonging to Burak Kaya. He also told me that an official named Erol at Atatürk Airport helped them with their transactions, ensured they were not searched, and facilitated their procedures. As far as I remember, these events began between 2014 and 2015.”
HE DESCRIBED MONEY MOVEMENTS CARRIED OUT THROUGH A WATERFRONT MANSION AND A BOAT
Stating that a waterfront mansion he said belonged to the Altınbaş family was transferred to Emir Sarıgül in 2020-2021, Tunç said:
“While Emir Sarıgül was speaking with me on the phone, he said that he and Serkan Korkutata went to the land registry and that he transferred part of the mansion to Serkan Korkutata. After a while, he wanted to sell this mansion. He told me that he met with German citizens and that contracts were being prepared. A few weeks later, he said that the sale was canceled, that they could not agree, but that they would obtain a boat free of charge to compensate for their grievances in these matters. I think this boat may have been obtained free of charge in return for the commission fee given to Sinan Çampınar for the sale of the mansion.”
2 MILLION LIRA ARRIVED IN HIS ACCOUNT
Stating that he himself handled the boat’s insurance procedures, Tunç recounted the following:
“Because Emir Sarıgül was abroad, he asked me to pay the amount determined for the insurance by mail order. I completed the insurance transaction with the first installment of 4,600 dollars and the remaining 6 installments of 2,700 dollars. Later, I called Emir Sarıgül for the payment of my credit card. He told me he would send me money. Afterwards, two amounts came into my account from a person named Orhan Yıldırım: 400,000 lira and 1,600,000 lira. In the description section, it said ‘AES’.”
Saying that he sent part of the incoming money to various places upon Emir Sarıgül’s direction, Tunç said: “As far as I remember, I sent part of the money to the relevant company for the payment of promotional items made for the CHP. I sent the remainder to a person named Mert Mavi for salary payment. I know that this person paid the salaries of the boat’s employees.”
ALLEGATIONS ABOUT MARITZA AND MERİÇ İNŞAAT
Stating that the company named Maritza was a partnership of Emir Sarıgül, Gençağan Meriç, and Serkan Korkutata, Tunç said: “Because Emir Sarıgül has a close relationship with the Meriç family, I think he has a hidden partnership in Meriç İnşaat.”
HE MADE ALLEGATIONS REGARDING STOCK EXCHANGE TRANSACTIONS
Also speaking about Otto Holding and the company’s shares traded on the stock exchange, Tunç said he found the relationship between Rıdvan Melih Dinçer and Zekai Erdem and the movements in the share price suspicious. Tunç used the following statements: “The price of this stock rose very seriously and then fell in the same way. Considering the money relationship between these individuals, I am sure that this was manipulation on the stock exchange. However, Emir Sarıgül is not involved in this. He told me several times that he was not interested in the stock exchange.”
HE SAID THE VEHICLES WERE TRANSFERRED
Tunç, who alleged that about 1-2 months ago Emir Sarıgül transferred his Mercedes Maybach and latest model Range Rover vehicles to Serkan Korkutata’s brother Sercan Korkutata, said, “This transfer was made with the power of attorney Emir Sarıgül gave to Selim Daşdemir. Because he was abroad. This power of attorney was issued by going to the Turkish Consulate in London.”
HE SAID HE THOUGHT THERE WAS A SECRET PARTNERSHIP IN THE AZURE PROJECT
Also making statements regarding the Azure project built in Beykoz, Tunç said, “According to what Emir Sarıgül told me, they were also partners in the construction of this project. I think there was a secret partnership relationship between them.”
“HE HAD THE BUS AND SOUND SYSTEM INSTALLED ON MUSTAFA SARIGÜL’S INSTRUCTION”
Also speaking about the founding process of the YENİ Party, Tunç said the following:
“During the founding stage of the Yeni Party, he told me that he installed a bus and the bus’s sound system himself on Mustafa Sarıgül’s instruction. Moreover, Mustafa Sarıgül made a statement to Emir Sarıgül like ‘Let’s buy the bus, have the sound system installed, let’s guarantee the parliamentary seat.’ Emir told me this too. I know these transactions were completed afterwards.”
HE CLAIMED THAT AN APARTMENT WAS GIVEN TO BEŞİR ÖMER DEMİR SO THAT HE WOULD NOT TALK
Also telling what he knew about Beşir Ömer Demir, Tunç said, “After Mustafa Sarıgül’s immoral images with this person came out, I had exchanged messages with Emir Sarıgül. When I asked Emir Sarıgül about the situation, he told me that he was very upset and that they had been disgraced. After this process, I know that an apartment was given to Beşir Ömer Demir in Çekmeköy district, whose exact location I don’t know, so that he would not talk.”
“I CAN SAY THEY COMMITTED MANY IRREGULARITIES”
At the end of his statement, Tunç stated that he thought Mustafa Sarıgül and Emir Sarıgül committed irregularities during and after their municipality period, and said, “I can easily say, based on both what I have heard and what I have witnessed, that Mustafa Sarıgül and Emir Sarıgül committed many irregularities both during the municipality process and afterwards. I request that my statement be evaluated in my favor.”
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