18.05.2026 08:30
Pro-government TV commentator Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı, detained on charges of money laundering and illegal betting, was arrested by the court he was referred to. It drew attention that Kütahyalı gave the same answer, "I don't know," to all questions about the million-dollar account transactions in the MASAK report.
The investigation conducted by the Adana Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Bureau for the Investigation of Terrorism Financing and Money Laundering Crimes covers the crimes of "forming an organization for the purpose of committing crimes," "illegal gambling," "qualified fraud using information systems," "bribery," and "laundering of property values derived from crime." In the operation, a total of 161 suspects, including 3 bank executives, 8 police personnel, and 4 lawyers, were detained.
STRIKING FINDINGS IN THE MASAK REPORT
Financial investigations within the scope of the investigation revealed approximately 100 billion Turkish lira and 2 billion dollars in suspicious money movements and laundering activities. By examining MASAK reports, bank transactions, crypto asset analyses, and HTS records, the organization was assessed to be a "professional financial crime organization operating on a national and international scale."
METHOD OF LAUNDERING CRIME PROCEEDS
It was determined that the suspects laundered crime proceeds obtained through illegal gambling and phishing methods via electronic money institutions, bank accounts, virtual POS systems, exchange offices, jewelers, shell companies, and crypto asset systems. The organization was found to have established specialized software infrastructures and panel systems, provided financial infrastructure to illegal gambling sites, and circulated crime proceeds within a multi-layered financial system.
According to the investigation findings, strong evidence was obtained that mid- and senior-level managers working at some private banks helped neutralize blocking and security processes related to suspicious money movements. Additionally, it was learned that some police personnel, in exchange for bribes, queried arrest, detention, and search warrants and provided information regarding operational processes.
COMPANIES SEIZED
Within the scope of the investigation, a seizure and trusteeship measure was applied to 3 electronic money payment institutions, 3 jewelers, and 1 exchange office. Additionally, 221 real estate properties, 120 vehicles, and 3 boats, considered to belong to the suspects and companies, were seized.
A decision was made to block access to 8,500 internet sites containing illegal gambling and betting content, which were deemed to be used for circulating crime proceeds. Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced via his social media account that operations had been initiated against 200 suspects in 21 provinces within the scope of the operation.
The judicial process has begun in the courthouse for this case, which is considered one of Turkey's most comprehensive illegal gambling and money laundering investigations in recent years. It was stated that the operation continues against 37 suspects with arrest warrants, and new developments are expected in the later stages of the investigation.
RASİM OZAN KÜTAHYALI DENIES ALLEGATIONS
Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı faced charges of "establishing/managing an organized crime group for profit," "aiding the organization," "illegal gambling under Law No. 7258," "fraud," and "laundering crime proceeds." In his statement, Kütahyalı denied the allegations and answered all questions about multi-million dollar account movements with "I don't know."
"I AM NOT A MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION"
Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı said, "No, because I am not a member of the organization. However, I will tell everything I know and have experienced. As a result of my conversations over the past 3 days with individuals I was held with in custody, I think this operation is a very correct and appropriate decision."
HE DISCLOSED HIS ASSETS
In his statement, Kütahyalı also provided information about his assets, listing the vehicles registered in his name one by one. Kütahyalı stated that he owns Jaguar, Range Rover, Chery, and Volkswagen Caravella brand vehicles.
Describing his real estate, Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı said, "I have a garden duplex in Sultanmakamı residences in Üsküdar Çengelköy, of which 50% belongs to me, an apartment in Sarıyer where I live, and an apartment in İzmir Göztepe." When asked about the multi-million lira money movements mentioned in the MASAK reports, Kütahyalı described the financial difficulties he experienced between 2017 and 2020.
"I HAVE NO CONNECTION TO THE MENTIONED CRIMES"
It was reported that among the suspects taken into police custody, Kütahyalı claimed he had no connection to the criminal organization, saying, "The money movements in question are funds sent to me for my receivables. It was sent as debt repayment. I have no connection to the mentioned crimes."
When questioned about the documents in the MASAK report shown during the interrogation, Kütahyalı said, "As I stated in my statement, these are amounts belonging to me that were sent to me as a result of withdrawals from my credit card. I was rotating my credit card debts in this way. I do not know or recognize the individuals and companies here. Additionally, since the cash advance withdrawal interest was very high, it was very logical to get my money back by paying a commission to individuals named Servet and Mehmet, who are tradesmen in PERPA. For this reason, as I also needed it, I resorted to this method. I do not know the companies and individuals who sent the money."
COMMON DEFENSE: I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T RECOGNIZE
The MASAK report also included information that a total of 4,684,435 lira was sent to Kütahyalı from the accounts of a person named Buğra Erzincanlı in 59 transactions. The report also stated that a total of 35,201,344 lira entered Kütahyalı's account via Sipay, Elekse, FZYPay, Birleşik Ödeme, and Paladyum Elektronik Para. Kütahyalı, claiming not to recognize these payment institutions, said, "As I stated in my statement, these are amounts belonging to me that were sent to me as a result of withdrawals from my credit card. I was rotating my credit card debts in this way. I do not know or recognize the individuals and companies here. When my credit card statements are examined, there will be explanations for all of them historically. These are still my own money. These are transactions I made to rotate my credit card."
In the statement, the transaction volume exceeding 46 million lira with Batuhan Özyetgin was also questioned. Kütahyalı stated that Batuhan Özyetgin is the son of a close friend and claimed that the money transfers were made for investment purposes. Kütahyalı used the following expressions:
"In the 2022-2024 economy, it was very logical to obtain commercial loans by showing KKM or gold as collateral. Since my friend Aydın Özyetgin's company was involved, he said, 'You put up half of the collateral, and let's earn together from this.' Because I trusted him greatly, I sent my money with peace of mind."
Regarding why the money transfers were made through Batuhan Özyetgin, he spoke as follows:
"Since Aydın had a previous company that went bankrupt, he could not use his own accounts, and for this reason, the money came through his son Batuhan Özyetgin's accounts."I was also sending money to Batuhan. This is the only reason for the money transfer I made with Batuhan.
Kütahyalı stated that his money transfers with his mother Şerife Kütahyalı and his wife Pınar Ayaz were due to a "family relationship," while claiming that the money he sent to Ufuk Zaimoğlu was related to a home sale and cash transportation. Kütahyalı also explained that he opened a bank account in the name of his niece Sanem Öznur due to high interest rates, saying, "Because new accounts at Alternatif Bank offered very high interest rates, I opened an account in her name and sent the money; these amounts belong to me." Denying any connection with the other individuals in the investigation, Kütahyalı stated, "I know Batuhan Özyetgin because he is the son of my friend. I do not know the other individuals; I have never seen any of them in my life."
"TO COVER CREDIT CARD DEBTS."
"All of my transactions involved processing through my credit card and depositing cash into my own account. I started this to cover my own credit card debts, and it continued that way," said Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı, continuing:
"I am not a member of any criminal organization under Article 220 of the Turkish Penal Code. I only cared whether the debt owed to me reached my account; I did not look at who the money came from. I have made mistakes and errors in life, but I did not commit any of the charges that led to my detention."
RASIM OZAN KÜTAHYALI ARRESTED
Seven of the suspects, whose interrogations at the Adana Police Department were completed, were released. 154 suspects, including Kütahyalı, were referred to the courthouse. Rasim Ozan Kütahyalı was arrested by the court he was brought before.