08.03.2026 16:25
The first hearing of the corruption case against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) will take place tomorrow. Among the 407 defendants, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, will appear before the judge for the first time in Silivri.
The first hearing of the 'Corruption' case against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) will be held tomorrow.
In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul 40th Heavy Penal Court, Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is named as the 'organization leader', is accused of committing the crimes of 'Establishing an Organization for the Purpose of Committing Crimes', 'Bribery', 'Money Laundering', 'Fraud to the Detriment of Public Institutions and Organizations', 'Recording Personal Data', 'Obtaining and Disseminating Personal Data', 'Concealing Criminal Evidence', 'Obstructing Communication', 'Causing Damage to Public Property', 'Receiving Bribes', 'Publicly Disseminating Misleading Information', 'Extortion', 'Money Laundering of Assets Derived from Crime', 'Tampering with Tenders', 'Deliberately Polluting the Environment', 'Violating the Tax Procedure Law', 'Violating the Forestry Law', and 'Violating the Mining Law'. It is requested that İmamoğlu be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 828 years and 2 months to 2,352 years for 142 actions.
7 DEFENDANTS LISTED AS 'ORGANIZATION MANAGERS' IN THE INDICTMENT
On the other hand, in the indictment, Fatih Keleş, Murat Ongun, and Adem Soytekin, as well as Hüseyin Gün, who is detained within the scope of a 'espionage' investigation, and fugitive Murat Gülibrahimoğlu and non-detained defendant Ertan Yıldız are also listed as 'organization managers'.
Regarding Fatih Keleş, the President of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Sports Club and CHP Beylikdüzü Municipal Council member, who is named as an 'organization manager' in the indictment, it is requested that he be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 556 years and 8 months to 1,542 years and 8 months for '48 counts of Bribery', 'Receiving Bribes', 'Giving Bribes', '55 counts of Tampering with Tenders', '39 counts of Fraud to the Detriment of Public Institutions and Organizations', '8 counts of Money Laundering', 'Violating the Mining Law', 'Violating the Forestry Law', 'Causing Environmental Pollution', 'Violating the Tax Procedure Law', 'Extortion', 'Destroying, Concealing, or Altering Criminal Evidence', and 'Obstructing Communication'.
For Murat Ongun, the IMM Presidential Advisor and Chairman of the Board of IMM Media Inc., it is requested that he be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 287 years and 6 months to 779 years and 6 months for 'Bribery', '53 counts of Tampering with Tenders', '33 counts of Fraud to the Detriment of Public Institutions and Organizations', 'Disclosing, Disseminating, or Obtaining Personal Data', 'Publicly Disseminating Misleading Information', and 'Money Laundering'. It is requested that Ertan Yıldız be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 86 years to 251 years for 'Bribery', 'Tampering with Tenders', and 'Fraud to the Detriment of Public Institutions and Organizations'. For Adem Soytekin, it is requested that he be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 67 years to 194 years for 'Bribery', 'Repeated Bribery', 'Extortion', and 'Money Laundering'.
HIS NAME WAS ALSO MENTIONED IN THE 'DRUG' INVESTIGATION
In the 'Drug' investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, fugitive businessman Murat Gülibrahimoğlu, who is also mentioned and has a red notice for arrest, is requested to be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 19 years and 6 months to 51 years for 'Fraud to the Detriment of Public Institutions and Organizations', 'Money Laundering', 'Forgery in Documents', 'Violating the Mining Law', 'Violating the Forestry Law', 'Causing Environmental Pollution', and 'Violating the Tax Procedure Law'.
HÜSEYİN GÜN, WHO IS REQUESTED TO BE SENTENCED TO 20 YEARS IN PRISON FOR 'ESPIONAGE', WILL ALSO APPEAR IN COURT IN THE 'CORRUPTION' CASE
Hüseyin Gün, who is requested to be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison for 'Political Espionage' within the scope of another investigation, is also requested to be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 20 years to 40 years for 'Establishing an Organization for the Purpose of Committing Crimes' and 'Disclosing, Disseminating, or Obtaining Personal Data' in the 'Corruption' investigation.
ŞAHAN WAS RELEASED FROM THE 'TERROR' FILE
Şişli Mayor Emrah Resul Şahan was arrested on March 23, 2025, on charges of 'aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist organization' within the scope of a 'terror' investigation and was released from the 'terror' file in recent months. Şahan was re-arrested on September 12, 2025, within the scope of the 'Corruption' investigation. A total of 35 years to 91 years of imprisonment is requested for Şahan for 5 counts of 'Receiving Bribes', 2 counts of 'Extortion', 'Illegal Recording of Personal Data', 'Disclosing or Obtaining Personal Data Illegally', and 'Being a Member of an Organization Established for the Purpose of Committing Crimes'. For Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık, a total of 30 years to 88 years of imprisonment is requested for 7 counts of 'Receiving Bribes' and 'Being a Member of an Organization Established for the Purpose of Committing Crimes'.
Beyoğlu Mayor İnan Güney was also arrested on August 19, 2025, within the scope of the 'Corruption' investigation.
LAWYER PEHLİVAN ARRESTED FOR 'MEMBERSHIP IN AN ORGANIZATION'
On the other hand, İmamoğlu's lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan was summoned to give a statement to the prosecutor's office on June 19, 2025, on the charge of 'membership in a criminal organization'. Pehlivan, who gave a statement, was arrested. In the indictment, a prison sentence of up to 15 years is requested for Pehlivan.