15.07.2026 19:50
Sevda Kurt, one of the individuals detained in the investigation into the Ahbap Association, also accused Haluk Levent. In her testimony to the prosecutor's office, Kurt stated, "I was defrauded of approximately 90 million lira by Haluk Levent. He took this money from me by striking at my generosity."
The details of the 16-page police statement given by Sevda Kurt, who testified as part of the Ahbap investigation conducted by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, have emerged.
Kurt, who faces charges of "establishing or being a member of a criminal organization," "qualified fraud," and "laundering assets derived from crime," stated that she lived in the United States for many years and transferred the 5 million dollars she earned there to her bank account in Turkey in 2017.
Claiming that she donated to various associations to support those in need, Kurt argued that her charitable nature was exploited by Haluk Levent.
OFFER OF 10 THOUSAND LIRA IN AID
Sevda Kurt said her relationship with Haluk Levent began with an aid call published on the Ahbap Association's social media account in February 2022. Stating that she saw that 38 thousand lira was needed for the repair of an elderly couple's home, Kurt wrote under the post that she wanted to donate 10 thousand lira.
Kurt said that after a while, a woman called her and stated the need was met by someone else, and then claimed that Haluk Levent called her from the same number. According to Kurt's statement, Levent snapped at the people with him, saying "Sister Sevda is giving money, why aren't you taking it?" and invited her to the Ahbap Association.
"TURKEY'S MOST TRUSTED PERSON MUST PAY HIS DEBT"
Kurt said that about 10 days later, she went to the Ahbap Association's address in İstanbul and met Haluk Levent face to face.
Stating that she told him during the meeting that she had returned from the USA and donated to various charities, Kurt claimed that after Levent realized her financial situation was good, he asked her for a loan within about a week.
Kurt alleged that Levent said he had investments in Switzerland but was temporarily in financial trouble, and told her, "I was chosen as the most trusted person in Turkey; a person trusted by the whole country must repay the debt they take."
THE MONEY WENT TO EMRAH GÖDELİNER'S ACCOUNT
Sevda Kurt said she couldn't withstand Haluk Levent's pressure and in 2022 sent an amount she didn't fully remember in three installments to Emrah Gödeliner's bank account. Stating that she saw Gödeliner only once at the Ahbap Association, Kurt argued the money transfers were made on Haluk Levent's instruction.
Expressing that she had great difficulty in getting the loans repaid, Kurt claimed they made a protocol with Haluk Levent, but despite this, she was still owed 160 thousand dollars. Kurt said she tried to reach Levent for about two years and was given new promises during every conversation that the debt would be paid.
SENT 70 MILLION LIRA MORE TO RECOVER 160 THOUSAND DOLLARS
One of the most striking parts of Sevda Kurt's statement was the new loan she said she gave in order to collect her previous receivables. Kurt claimed Haluk Levent contacted her in March 2025, saying he had debts and needed 80 million lira.
Kurt said Levent told her he would pay this amount, along with the previous 160 thousand dollar debt, within 10 days, and that she sent 70 million lira to Yeliz Kaya's account to recover her old receivable.
Sevda Kurt said she received a promissory note worth 92 million lira from Haluk Levent for the money she sent and her previous receivables. Admitting that the promissory note amount was less than her total receivable, Kurt said she accepted the document anyway.
It was stated that Haluk Levent delivered the promissory note at a café located under the building where Kurt resides. Claiming that Levent did not contact her even after the due date passed, Kurt said she tried to collect her receivable again.
"IF I'M ARRESTED, I CAN'T PAY MY DEBT"
According to Kurt's statement, Haluk Levent called her around 05:00 AM on October 29, 2025, asking for 19 million 500 thousand lira. It was alleged that Levent said an arrest warrant had been issued for him and he would be arrested if he didn't deposit the money into the relevant court's cashier.
Kurt said she became worried when Levent told her that if he was arrested, he couldn't pay his debt to her. Stating she couldn't find the full requested amount, Kurt stated she sent 9 million 400 thousand lira, which she could scrape together, to Yeliz Kaya's account on Haluk Levent's instruction.
"I COULDN'T REACH HIM AFTER SENDING THE MONEY"
Sevda Kurt said she couldn't reach Haluk Levent for a long time after the final transfer of 9.4 million lira. Claiming she was defrauded and suffered great financial loss, Kurt filed a complaint against Haluk Levent and those she believed acted together with him.
At the end of her statement, Kurt said she was caused approximately 90 million lira in damage, adding, "They struck me through my charity and took this money from me."
1.75 MILLION DOLLAR "AHBAP ACTIVITY" DOCUMENT
A debt document allegedly signed by Haluk Levent was seized during the search of Sevda Kurt's address. It was stated that the document included statements indicating 1 million 750 thousand dollars was borrowed from Sevda Kurt "to be used in the field activities of the Ahbap Association" and would be returned no later than May 15, 2024.
The document also contained information that the money was sent to Müge Sözen Küçük's bank account. Kurt was asked which activity of the Ahbap Association the money was used for, and whether there were invoices or official documents related to it. Kurt, however, argued that she lent the money to Haluk Levent, answering, "There is no connection with the Ahbap Association."
MILLION-DOLLAR TRANSFERS TO MÜGE SÖZEN KÜÇÜK
Bank instructions seized during the search revealed that Sevda Kurt requested high amounts of money to be sent to Müge Sözen Küçük's account. According to the findings, Kurt gave transfer instructions for 26 million 600 thousand lira on March 15, 2024, 550 thousand dollars on March 19, 2024, and 17 million 500 thousand lira on the same day.
Kurt said these transactions were related to the loans she gave to Haluk Levent and that the word "debt" was used in the transfer descriptions. Stating that she knew Müge Sözen Küçük as Haluk Levent's manager, Kurt argued the money transfers were made on Levent's instruction.
2.2 MILLION DOLLARS TO EMRAH GÖDELİNER
Bank receipts regarding transfers to Emrah Gödeliner were also found in the search of Kurt's address. The receipts showed 1 million 600 thousand dollars sent on March 29, 2022, and 600 thousand dollars sent on March 30, 2022.
It was stated that 1 million 179 thousand 200 lira, 8 million 232 thousand lira, 5 million 500 thousand lira, and 1 million 85 thousand 600 lira were transferred to Gödeliner on different dates. Kurt argued that these transfers were related to the debts he gave to Haluk Levent and that he had no personal business relationship with Gödeliner.
According to the MASAK investigation, 3 million 429 thousand 500 lira was sent from Zafer Yay's account to Sevda Kurt. It was noted that a total of 43 million 728 thousand 700 lira was transferred from Emrah Gödeliner's accounts to Kurt in 17 transactions.
Reciprocal money movements were also detected between Alper Çelik and Kurt. It was stated that 315 thousand lira was sent from Alper Çelik to Kurt, and a total of 805 thousand lira was transferred from Kurt to Çelik in six transactions.
Kurt claimed that he did not know most of these individuals and that the account movements resulted from the partial repayment of debts he had given to Haluk Levent.
In MASAK records, it was determined that a total of 29 million 150 thousand lira was sent from Yeliz Kaya to Sevda Kurt in three transactions between March 2025 and April 2026. It was noted that in the same period, a total of 10 million 200 thousand lira was transferred from Kurt to Kaya in six transactions.
Kurt stated that he could not recall these account movements asked about, saying there was no debt repayment between them in 2026.
“IF 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS IS NOT PAID, I WILL REVEAL EVERYTHING”
The investigation file included WhatsApp messages considered to belong to Sevda Kurt. In the messages, it was stated that the promised payment of 500 thousand dollars was not made, and it was expressed that enforcement proceedings and a criminal complaint for qualified fraud would be filed against Haluk Levent and Yeliz Kaya.
The correspondence also listed serious allegations such as “money laundering,” “coin fraud,” “Ponzi scheme,” the use of Ahbap accounts as Haluk Levent’s private account, and the use of coin donations received during the earthquake period for paying personal debts.
Kurt accepted that the messages belonged to him but stated that he had no concrete evidence for some of the serious accusations in the correspondence.
Kurt explained that when he realized he was defrauded, he tried to pressure to recover his money, and he based some of the money laundering and drug allegations on his own predictions and some on information he saw in open sources.
He said he sent these messages to all the phone numbers he knew belonged to the Ahbap Association.
“NIGELLA” AND “HLK/USDT” COIN ALLEGATION
In the preliminary examination of Sevda Kurt's phone, it was noted that there were messages about coins initially called “Nigella” and later named “HLK/USDT.” The examination report stated that there were message contents indicating that Kurt was given coins in return for the debts he gave to Haluk Levent, and that these coins were later blocked by Haluk Levent and Serkan Çakmak.
The messages also included allegations that coin donations received during the earthquake period were offset against Haluk Levent's debts without being transferred to the Ahbap Association's accounts. Kurt argued that these correspondences were part of the preparations he made with his lawyer to file a criminal complaint against Haluk Levent.
“HE TOOK 90 MILLION LIRA FROM ME BY EXPLOITING MY CHARITABLENESS”
Sevda Kurt said that he used the money he earned working in the USA for many years and brought to Turkey after paying taxes, for the purpose of helping those in need. Stating that he believed in the Association's trustworthy image in the public eye, Kurt expressed that he was a victim, not an accomplice.
“I was defrauded of approximately 90 million lira by Haluk Levent. He took this money from me by exploiting my charitableness,” said Kurt, stating that he fell into great economic difficulty.
It was learned that in the investigation carried out by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, bank receipts, debt documents, a promissory note of 92 million lira, digital correspondences, coin allegations, and money movements among the suspects are being examined together.