28.08.2026 14:21
Erhan Çelik made shocking allegations about Gülben Ergen and her lawyer Altın Mimir following the suspicious death of his estranged wife, Dr. Özlem Gültekin, in Izmir. Çelik claimed that Ergen and her lawyer pressured and incited his wife against him, and alleged that 50 million lira and half of their companies were demanded for the divorce. Stating that the in-car violence allegation was actually a reaction to anesthesia medication, Çelik announced that he had initiated legal proceedings against 300 people.
While the investigation into the suspicious death of Op. Dr. Özlem Gültekin Çelik, who lost her life in her clinic in Izmir, continues, her estranged husband, news anchor Erhan Çelik, made shocking statements. Claiming that his ex-wife Gülben Ergen and her lawyer Altın Mimir played a key role in the process, Çelik detailed all the allegations of pressure, threats, demands for a 50 million lira fortune, inheritance speculation, and in-car violence.
"GÜLBEN ERGEN STEPPED IN, THEY PRESSURED ÖZLEM"
Recounting what happened after presenting the evidence to the court during the divorce proceedings, Çelik stated that Gülben Ergen became involved in the process, saying, "In January 2025, I presented these images and evidence to the court, and then interesting things started to happen. This was the beginning of the events. When I filed the lawsuit, Gülben Ergen heard about it, got involved, and reached out to Özlem. She had some conversations and meetings with her, which Özlem had already recorded. The late Özlem meticulously saved every call, conversation, and message. Now all of it is at the prosecutor's office, under review. And she gave power of attorney to Gülben Ergen's lawyer, Altın Mimir. In the meantime, she also meticulously recorded all her conversations and messages with Altın Mimir, recording them on her phone and transferring them to her computer, and in these conversations, insulting sentences and words were used towards her," he said.
"WASN'T THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU A WOMAN?"
Stating that Özlem Gültekin was subjected to intense pressure when she wanted to sign the settlement protocol, Çelik said, "These are the so-called women's rights advocates who say, 'First and foremost, she's a woman, but I am a mother.' Wasn't the person in front of you a woman? Wasn't she a mother? Couldn't she make her own decisions? On top of all this, a week before her death, her first action was to dismiss her lawyer, Altın Mimir. It was exactly the time when we were preparing our divorce settlement protocol and finalizing the custody arrangement. This will also be questioned separately in court. Both my 6-year-old orphaned child and I are the complainants in this case. We will not let go of you."
"THEY ASKED FOR 50% OF MY COMPANIES AND 50 MILLION LIRA"
Erhan Çelik, who stated that a perception operation was being carried out through blackmail and pressure tactics in the public eye, openly shared the astronomical figures and asset demands requested from him in the divorce case: "They made so many baseless claims and news that I was asked for a full 50 million lira for my divorce. Plus a total monthly alimony of 450 thousand lira. 450 thousand lira alimony every month. These are also on record, in the case file. They asked for 50 percent of my group of companies, which I established with my own effort and sweat after leaving the journalism profession and grew into eleven companies across six countries over eight years. I did not give in to anyone, especially not to those who, in exchange for a commission, tried to threaten me publicly with these claims and fake news during the divorce case. I also told the late Özlem, 'Look, their goal isn't to help you, it's to be hostile towards me,' but I couldn't make her understand."
"I BOUGHT THE PORSCHE SUV, WILL YOU PAY ITS LOAN DEBT?"
Reacting harshly to the inheritance debates that began after Özlem Gültekin's death and the comments made by people broadcasting under the guise of "astrologers," Çelik provided the following details about the deceased's financial situation: "Those making a fuss about inheritance... She was living in a rental house at the end. The clinic where she died was also rented. I'm ashamed to say this, but the Porsche SUV she drove was a vehicle I had upgraded for our wedding anniversary just before the divorce case. There were many parasites around her. For instance, there was a thief, a bloodsucker, who stole half of what she had invested with all her savings in a business or project that her family knew very well. Now, from that project, she has left an office and a house, plus the jewelry given at our wedding and at Ali's birth. To those making a fuss about inheritance: there's a bank loan debt on the house we bought after getting married in Istanbul, more than half of which I paid in cash. Will you pay it? Are you going to pay it now? Since you are so concerned without having any right to be, maybe you'd like to pay it."
CLARIFICATION ON "IN-CAR VIOLENCE" CLAIMS
Explaining the truth behind the incident reflected to the public as "in-car violence," which led to his conviction, Erhan Çelik said the video in question was from an argument sparked by an anesthesia drug: "Regarding what was portrayed as violence in the car, the second I saw that drug and syringe in her bag after treatment – something I had never seen before and never wanted to see... Watch the footage. The phone is in my hand. I am the one recording. The late Özlem is trying to take the phone. I am trying to push her away by holding her arm, trying to get her out of the car. And this footage, recorded as evidence for the court, later comes back to haunt me. Easy to say, 2 years... My only concern was fighting against those damn substances. Was I angry? Of course, I was angry. But I had no intervention other than holding her arm to get her out of the car. However, what does our penal code prioritize? The woman's statement. They gave me a sentence of 5 months and 3 days for holding her arm to get her out of the car."
Çelik also touched upon a past "car stabbing" incident, claiming that all the security cameras in the complex were mysteriously erased at that time. Stating that immediately after the news of her death, Gülben Ergen wanted to call him through a mutual acquaintance, Çelik emphasized that he would continue his legal fight to the end, saying, "So far, legal proceedings have been prepared against nearly 300 people. There will be more, but the biggest one is reserved for the Day of Judgment."