23.07.2026 10:20
In the expert report prepared for the Şile Municipality investigation, allegations were included that the festival tender was conducted through a shell company and that millions of lira worth of progress payments from the municipality were circulated between company and personal accounts. WhatsApp messages between Haluk Levent's brother Berkant Acil and his assistant Yeliz Kaya were also included in the file. In the messages, Acil was seen saying, 'You emptied Ahbap for your personal debts.'
The expert report and witness statements prepared in the corruption investigation against Şile Municipality revealed striking allegations. The report assessed that although the festival tender was officially awarded to a company, the organization was actually run by another firm, and millions of liras in progress payments from the municipality were circulated among company and personal accounts. The case file also includes WhatsApp messages between Haluk Levent's brother Berkant Acil and his assistant Yeliz Kaya.
STRIKING FINDINGS REGARDING THE FESTIVAL TENDER
According to the expert report included in the investigation file, the tender for the 35th International Şile Cloth Culture and Art Festival was officially conducted under the name Sur Music Organization. However, the report assessed that this company was used as a front, while the organization was actually carried out by Koşan Adam Management & Organization, owned by Berkant Acil.
In witness and suspect statements, it was claimed that the artists and the organization process were managed by Koşan Adam, while Sur Music was shown as the official contractor.
BRIBERY AND PROGRESS PAYMENT ALLEGATIONS ENTERED THE FILE
The statements obtained during the investigation included allegations of bribe demands related to the festival tender, with claims that progress payments were delayed, and money and various gifts were requested.
Mehmet Sait Köse, the owner of Sur Music, who sought to benefit from effective remorse, also claimed in his statement that the negotiations with the municipality were conducted by other individuals, and he was informed that the mayor demanded money for progress payments to be made.
MILLIONS OF LIRAS IN DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ARTIST PAYMENTS AND INVOICES
The expert report stated that there were large discrepancies between the invoices issued to the municipality and the fees actually paid to the artists.
According to the findings in the report;
- For Sena Şener, a 1 million TL invoice was issued to the municipality while the artist was paid 50 thousand TL,
- For Can Bonomo, a 2 million 250 thousand TL invoice against 250 thousand TL,
- For Sıla, a 6 million 200 thousand TL invoice against 625 thousand TL,
- For Erdal Erzincan, a 1 million 750 thousand TL invoice against 37 thousand 500 TL,
- For Melek Mosso, a 3 million 500 thousand TL invoice against 312 thousand 500 TL was paid.
It was reflected in the report that although approximately 22.79 million TL was paid from the municipality for the items examined, a total of approximately 1.93 million TL was paid to artists and presenters, resulting in a discrepancy of approximately 20.86 million TL.
PROGRESS PAYMENT FUNDS CIRCULATED BETWEEN ACCOUNTS
The expert report indicated that the progress payments from the municipality were transferred among various company and personal accounts.
The report assessed that the economic justification for the transactions could not be determined, the money transfers were carried out contrary to commercial practices, and the financial structures of Sur Music and Koşan Adam were intertwined.
FORMER SPOKESPERSON'S WITNESS STATEMENT ENTERED THE FILE
Former spokesperson Mutlu Ulusoy, who testified as a witness in the investigation, stated that she had a romantic relationship with Şile Mayor Özgür Kabadayı after the festival and later worked in the municipality's social media unit for about two months.
Ulusoy also claimed in her statement that certain individuals at the municipality were aware of this relationship, and that Berkant Acil spoke with the mayor about progress payments he could not collect.
WHATSAPP MESSAGES ENTERED THE FILE
WhatsApp messages between Haluk Levent's brother Berkant Acil and his assistant Yeliz Kaya were also added to the investigation file. In the messages, Acil warned Kaya that signing Haluk Levent's checks could put her in a difficult position.
In another message, Acil was seen using the phrase, "I will also tell the prosecutor's office how you emptied Ahbap's funds to cover personal debts," which was included in the file.
STRIKING FUND MOVEMENTS IN MASAK REPORT
MASAK reports in the file indicated that there were millions of liras in money transfers between Yeliz Kaya and Berkant Acil, with Kaya's total cash transaction volume reaching 175 million TL.
It was reported that the investigation file considers this money traffic as a case of concealing the source of public funds and money laundering suspicions, and it is anticipated that the investigation may be expanded due to these same financial relationships.