23.10.2025 09:32
In the case opened regarding the demand for "protection money," Ufuk Bayraktar, who faces a prison sentence ranging from 7 years and 6 months to 11 years and 3 months, will appear before the judge on January 14, 2026. The prosecution submitted the indictment to the court concerning the allegation that the famous actor attacked the business owner after demanding money.
The date when actor Ufuk Bayraktar will appear before the judge, accused of demanding money from a business owner under the pretext of protecting the business and attacking the owner with a punch after being rejected, has been announced. Bayraktar's trial will begin on January 14, 2026, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court.
On August 20, 2025, in Beyoğlu, it was claimed that actor Ufuk Bayraktar went to a business and demanded money under the pretext of protecting the business. After the business owner rejected this, he allegedly attacked him with a punch, saying, 'You will see that I will not let you stay here.' The investigation into this allegation has been completed, and in the prepared indictment, it was requested that Bayraktar be sentenced to 7 years and 6 months to 11 years and 3 months in prison. The date when Ufuk Bayraktar will appear before the judge in the context of the case has been announced. Bayraktar's trial will begin on January 14, 2026, at the Istanbul Heavy Penal Court.
"THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SHOULD PROTECT THIS PLACE, YOU GIVE THEM 25 THOUSAND LIRA A WEEK" In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Ahmet P. was named as the 'complainant,' while Ufuk Bayraktar and Volkan Akbaş were named as 'suspects.' In the prepared indictment, it was stated that the suspects Bayraktar and Akbaş went to the business belonging to complainant Ahmet P., sat there for a while, and during this time, they saw the complainant's brother, Halil P., and expressed that they wanted to have a meeting with him. Later, when complainant Ahmet P. approached the suspects, Ufuk Bayraktar showed him a phone with the message 'Cards are being reshuffled, we are in the game' on the screen, saying, 'They are trying to take over this business. The young people of our neighborhood should protect this place, you give them 25 thousand lira a week. They have WhatsApp groups. The whole neighborhood belongs to these kids. I am saying this so that they can earn money.' Thus, he requested money from the complainant under the pretext of protection.
IT WAS STATED THAT HE TRIED TO PRESSURE THE COMPLAINANT BY SAYING 'WITHDRAW YOUR COMPLAINT, I WILL HANDLE THE ISSUE' After complainant Ahmet P. did not accept this, it was reported in the indictment that he then reduced the price to about 10 thousand lira per week, but the complainant rejected this request, saying that the police would protect them. It was noted that Ufuk Bayraktar left the venue with the other suspect, saying, 'We will talk later.' After this incident, the suspects did not appear for about a month, but when they returned on August 20, 2025, Ufuk Bayraktar approached the complainant angrily, stating that he wanted to talk to him again. When the complainant did not want to talk to him, Bayraktar attacked the complainant, saying, 'You will see that I will not let you stay here.' When the complainant called the police, it was reported that the other suspect, Volkan Akbaş, approached the complainant and tried to pressure him by saying, 'Withdraw your complaint, I will handle the issue.' It was recorded in the indictment that complainant Ahmet P. stated that he might have misunderstood Ufuk Bayraktar and that he had withdrawn his complaint. It was expressed that sufficient suspicion was reached regarding the suspects committing the crime of attempted robbery with multiple people against the complainant in agreement and that a public lawsuit was filed against them.
REQUEST FOR UP TO 11 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS IN PRISON In the prepared indictment, it was requested that suspects Ufuk Bayraktar and Volkan Akbaş be sentenced to 7 years and 6 months to 11 years and 3 months in prison for the crime of attempted robbery with multiple people in the workplace.