04.08.2026 21:20
Journalist Tahir Sarıkaya, arrested in the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Cem Küçük, refused to give the password of his phone. Sarıkaya, who admitted in his statement at the prosecutor's office that he received money from Fatih Eke 21 times and from Serdar Özyurt 64 times, argued that the payments were for advertisements, promotions, and social media posts. Sarıkaya also admitted that he arranged meetings between Cem Küçük and businesspeople and lawyers.
The prosecutor's office statement of journalist Tahir Sarıkaya, who was arrested within the scope of the investigation targeting journalist Cem Küçük conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Organized Crimes Investigation Bureau, has emerged.
Sarıkaya said he would not share the phone password he did not give while in custody, also at the prosecutor's office. Stating that his phone contains private and family photos, Sarıkaya argued that he did not want these contents to be seen.
At the beginning of his statement, Sarıkaya claimed that he had never used drugs at any point in his life, had not introduced men and women for profit, and had not earned income through this means.
EXPLANATION OF "DEBT AND PROGRAM" FOR MONEY TRAFFIC WITH CEM KÜÇÜK
Sarıkaya said he has known journalist Cem Küçük since 2015 and they have done programs together at different times. Admitting that there was money exchange between him and Küçük, Sarıkaya argued that this stemmed from debt and program payments.
Sarıkaya said, "I did not send money in return for posting tweets or making news." However, when asked about the contradiction, he stated that he might have also made payments for the openings and programs they attended together with Cem Küçük.
I RECEIVED THE 100 THOUSAND LIRA PAYMENT FROM HALUK LEVENT AS A "SCHOLARSHIP"
In his initial statement, Sarıkaya said there was no direct money exchange with Haluk Levent and that he did not earn from Nigella Coin.
However, when asked about the contradiction, he admitted that he received 100 thousand liras as a "scholarship" from Haluk Levent for his son's school expenses. Sarıkaya argued that he did not carry out Haluk Levent's PR work and did not launder the money of the "Ahbaplar Criminal Organization".
ASKED ABOUT 21 SEPARATE PAYMENTS FROM FATİH EKE; HE SAID HE RECEIVED PAYMENTS FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES
Sarıkaya admitted that money came to his account from Fatih Eke, first saying the payment was in return for attending an event held in Bebek as a journalist.
Upon the contradiction, he admitted receiving money from Fatih Eke a total of 21 times. Sarıkaya stated that the payments were made for the advertising of the Nigella product and social media posts, as well as for events.
For the payments, whose dates and amounts the prosecutor's office listed one by one, ranging from 30 thousand liras to 325 thousand liras, Sarıkaya said, "I received the money because I made posts about this person."
DEFENSE OF "INSTAGRAM PR WORK" FOR 64 PAYMENTS
Sarıkaya admitted that he made news and Instagram posts about businessman Serdar Özyurt and that money was sent to his account in return.
The prosecutor's office reported that it was determined that a total of 64 high-amount payments were made by Özyurt to Sarıkaya's account. Sarıkaya said the payments were in return for promotional and PR activities on Instagram.
Stating that he used the sent money in the stock market or for his family's livelihood, Sarıkaya claimed that he did not launder these amounts through his cryptocurrency account.
TRANSACTION OF 27 MILLION 569 THOUSAND LIRAS IN CRYPTO ACCOUNT
The prosecutor's office reported that it was determined that Sarıkaya sent a total of 27 million 569 thousand liras in 320 transactions to his Paribu account.
Sarıkaya admitted depositing money into the account and then withdrawing it, but did not accept the amount of 27 million 569 thousand liras. He argued that the transactions did not aim to launder money.
Sarıkaya's lawyer, on the other hand, claimed that the transaction volume appeared high because the same money's deposits and withdrawals to and from the account were summed up, and that the current balance in the crypto account was approximately 700 thousand liras.
HE SAID "INTEREST IS FORBIDDEN", EXPLAINED THE MONEY GOING TO CYPRUS WITH "ENTERTAINMENT-PURPOSE GAMBLING"
Arguing that the money he received from Fatih Eke had no connection with his crypto account, Sarıkaya said, "Since interest is forbidden (haram), I actively use my crypto account." However, when asked about the money sent to and received from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus from his account, he said he carried out these transactions by going to Cyprus with a family friend to "gamble for entertainment purposes".
It was noted as one of the striking inconsistencies in Sarıkaya's defense that he explained his crypto usage with religious sensitivity while basing money transfers on gambling and entertainment.
OVER 300 MONEY MOVEMENTS WITH İSMAİL ÇANAK
Sarıkaya admitted to having more than 300 money exchanges with Serdar Özyurt's private assistant İsmail Çanak. He explained these movements with family relations, mutual cash payments, and events he attended as a speaker.
Saying he did not know from whom İsmail Çanak received these moneys, Sarıkaya claimed that the payments were in return for the work he did.
After his statement was taken, Sarıkaya was referred to the on-duty criminal judgeship of peace with a request for arrest, and the investigation against him is ongoing by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Organized Crimes Investigation Bureau.