21.04.2026 13:31
In the operation conducted against the Ataşehir Municipality, 20 people, including Onursal Adıgüzel, who was detained, were transferred to the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse, while a new detail emerged from the case. According to the allegation reflected in the case, a contractor who claimed he could not obtain a residence permit despite paying millions of dollars in bribes recounted that he stormed the funeral attended by Adıgüzel.
The statement of the suspect contractor Hümeyra Ökcün has exploded like a bomb in the major investigation conducted in Ataşehir. The threats made by Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel, who came to the agenda with Özgür Özel's words, "Onursal has hardly done any tenders. There is no money in the municipality. I am very curious about what they will accuse him of," along with the million-dollar payment traffic, discussions about bribery among municipal managers, fake documents, and the chain of pressure have been detailed in the investigation file.
"HOW WILL YOU WORK ELSEWHERE?"
In the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Hümeyra Ökcün described the turning point of the process as the meeting she had with Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel. Ökcün stated that she reacted by saying, "I gave you all the money you wanted, you are not giving me my occupancy permit," to which Adıgüzel responded by providing reasons for expropriation, and then pressured her with the words, "How will you work elsewhere if this issue is not resolved?" After this meeting, she expressed that the process became even harsher and that what was happening had reached an unbearable point.
“IF YOU DON'T PAY 2 MILLION DOLLARS, THERE IS NO LICENSE”
Contractor Hümeyra explained that when she started construction in 2021, she received architect recommendations from the municipality, and when she wanted to obtain a building renovation permit in 2024 within the scope of a 130,000 square meter project, the architect recommended by the municipality acted as an intermediary and initially demanded 2 million dollars from her. Stating that this demand was conveyed through architect Erhan Çelebi, Ökcün said that she was pressured with the statement, "If you don't pay, you won't be able to get a license for 2 years," and that she resisted for about 6 months but had to make the payment due to her work being blocked.
Ökcün stated in her testimony that Erhan Çelebi became an intermediary between the municipality and contractors after the elections, and that the bribery traffic for large projects was conducted through this channel. She claimed that the money given reached Mayor Onursal Adıgüzel and Deputy Mayor Birkan Birol, emphasizing that the process operated systematically.
Contractor Ökcün detailed the payments she made for the building renovation permit and occupancy processes. She stated that she made a total payment of 3 million 926 thousand dollars, 180 thousand euros, and 150 thousand pounds, and that these amounts were delivered in cash and recorded. According to Ökcün's statement, the payments occurred as follows:
- 08.11.2024 – 375,000 Dollars
- 29.11.2024 – 32,160 Dollars
- 03.12.2024 – 662,038 Dollars
- 05.12.2024 – 362,000 Dollars
- 16.12.2024 – 150,000 Pounds
- 16.12.2024 – 180,000 Euros
- 16.12.2024 – 460,000 Dollars
- 24.12.2024 – 220,000 Dollars
- 24.02.2025 – 500,000 Dollars
- 26.04.2025 – 125,000 Dollars
- 04.06.2025 – 30,000 Dollars
- 25.06.2025 – 24,993 Dollars
- 25.06.2025 – 25,000 Dollars
- 27.06.2025 – 10,000 Dollars
- 09.08.2025 – 100,000 Dollars
- 13.11.2025 – 250,000 Dollars
- 05.12.2025 – 500,000 Dollars
- 08.01.2026 – 250,000 Dollars
“I HAVE TAKEN ON A LOAD OF 10 MILLION DOLLARS”
Ökcün stated that she did not limit herself to these payments, and that with fees and other expenses, she took on a total burden of approximately 10 million dollars. Despite this, she said that her transactions were constantly delayed, that she faced new demands, and that the process was intentionally prolonged.
[12:50 PM] Ökcün explained that after the elections, the municipal police tried to come to the construction site and shut down the concrete plant, and that even the areas where the workers stayed were intervened in. She noted that after this pressure, Deputy Mayor Yıldız came to the construction site and took a step back, but afterwards, the demands became systematic.
“THE MAYOR LOVES POUNDS”
Ökcün stated that she was charged 265 million TL in fees during the occupancy process, and although she thought this amount was high, she was informed that it was legalized by a council decision. At one point, she stated that she requested the return of the 70 million TL she paid when the occupancy was not granted.
Contractor Ökcün mentioned that she hosted Deputy Mayor Birkan Birol Yıldız and his wife on their boat in Bodrum, and that Yıldız joked with her, saying, "Sister, you couldn't become a big contractor, you come to the municipality every day like a job follower." She also stated that part of the payments was requested in British Pounds, saying, "The mayor loves pounds."
FAKE TAX RECEIPT SCANDAL
One of the most striking headlines in the file was the fake documents. Ökcün stated that when she wanted to pay the occupancy fee, she checked the tax receipts given to her and saw that there was no corresponding entry in the system, and that she even noticed that a receipt issued in the name of another person was covered and given to her with her own information written on it.
Ökcün indicated that not only cash was requested but also payments were demanded through different methods, stating that she made millions of lira payments to companies directed by the municipality under the pretext of "missing garbage containers," but that no products were delivered. She also claimed that gift cards worth hundreds of thousands of lira from A101 and Boyner, as well as devices like iPhones and iPads, were requested and delivered with notes.
THE CONTRACTOR CRASHED A FUNERAL ATTENDED BY ONURSAL ADIGÜZEL
After the tension experienced during the occupancy process, Ökcün stated that she argued with Onursal Adıgüzel in his office, left the room angrily, and then planned to express what had happened at the funeral of a council member. She noted that Adıgüzel was surprised to see her at the funeral and changed his attitude, and that after this process, the occupancy of a block was granted.
At the end of her statement, Ökcün made a striking remark, stating that she was threatened after the process, that she was pressured to change her testimony, and that she was concerned for her and her family's safety. The suspect's lawyers claimed that their client provided all information and documents for the clarification of the investigation, contributed to the process, and that the real victim was the contractor.