15.07.2026 13:40
The statement of Esin Önder Çağlayan, who testified as a suspect in the investigation into the Ahbap Association, has emerged. Çağlayan stated that he lent Haluk Levent approximately $70 million in installments, and in return, he acquired 68 properties with an appraised value of $35 million. Financial investigations revealed that over 1 billion 26 million Turkish liras were transferred from Çağlayan to Yeliz Kaya.
The details of the 22-page statement given in custody by businessperson Esin Önder Çağlayan, who was detained within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the Ahbap Association, have emerged. Çağlayan faces charges of "laundering proceeds from crime" and "establishing, managing, or being a member of a criminal organization."
While Çağlayan argued that his relationship with Haluk Levent was one of friendship and debt, he also claimed that he was defrauded. However, the money transfers in the statement transcript, short-term title deed transfers, and the mismatch between payment records and real estate transactions formed the striking highlights of the investigation.
Çağlayan submitted to the investigation file a signed document allegedly containing statements by Haluk Levent: "I have a debt of 2 billion 100 million liras to the Önder family. I am very sorry for deceiving them by exploiting their goodwill."
THIS RECORD SAYS A LOT
It was reported that Esin Önder Çağlayan submitted two folders of documents to the investigation file through his lawyer. Among the documents was a record dated May 17, 2026, allegedly bearing the names and signatures of Haluk Levent, Hüseyin Küçük, Müge Küçük, Muzaffer Köse, and Yeliz Kaya.
It was noted that the record contained the following statements attributed to Haluk Levent:
"I have a debt of 2,100,000,000.00 TL to the Önder family. I am very sorry for deceiving the Önder family by exploiting their goodwill. I will pay my debt by June 2, 2026."
Çağlayan also submitted to the file the "debt determination and settlement agreement" allegedly arranged between himself, Haluk Levent, and the Ahbap Association, along with photocopies of checks, title deeds, real estate contracts, and appraisal reports.
ESİN ÖNDER: I GAVE HALUK LEVENT 70 MILLION DOLLARS
Çağlayan stated that he had known Haluk Levent for about 15 years and trusted him because he was a trusted figure in society and organized aid campaigns.
According to his statement, Levent went to the Çağlayan family with his managers Müge Sözen Küçük and Hüseyin Küçük in June 2025. It was alleged that Levent claimed to have a 10 million dollar receivable from a production company and initially asked for 8 million dollars.
Çağlayan said he sent part of this money to Yeliz Kaya's account and delivered a check issued in the name of one of his companies for the remaining amount to Kaya.
Çağlayan, who argued that he gave another 8 million dollars after Muzaffer Köse became a guarantor even though the first debt was not repaid, stated that he also sent approximately 6 million dollars for a cryptocurrency and social aid platform that was said to be established later.
Çağlayan claimed that the total money he gave to Haluk Levent, including additional payments allegedly arising during the transfer of real estate, reached approximately 70 million dollars.
ONLY 68 PROPERTIES WORTH 35 MILLION DOLLARS FOR 70 MILLION DOLLARS
Esin Önder Çağlayan said that in return for his debt of approximately 70 million dollars to Levent, a total of 68 properties were transferred to him.
Çağlayan stated that 62-63 of these properties were transferred by Yeliz Kaya and 5-6 by Zafer Yay, arguing that the total appraised value of the properties was 35 million dollars.
According to Çağlayan's statement, the money he gave amounted to approximately twice the value of the properties he received. He claimed that the properties are still registered in his name and have not been transferred to third parties.
However, the investigation record included findings that in some title deed movements, properties were first transferred to Çağlayan, then back to Yeliz Kaya, and later passed to other individuals.
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF LIRAS WERE TRANSFERRED
Financial investigations also revealed a high-value money flow between Esin Önder Çağlayan and Yeliz Kaya. According to findings, a total of 136 million 900 thousand liras were sent from Yeliz Kaya to Çağlayan between December 22, 2023, and February 24, 2026.
From Çağlayan to Yeliz Kaya, a total of 1 billion 26 million 70 thousand 952 liras were transferred between November 21, 2023, and June 25, 2026.
When asked about the large difference, Çağlayan defended himself by saying, "I actually carried out all these money transfers with Haluk Levent." He stated that Kaya was Haluk Levent's assistant and accountant, and he sent all the money to this account at Levent's request.
PROPERTIES WERE SHUFFLED AROUND
In the general review of title deed records, it was noted that Esin Önder Çağlayan had a total of 59 different active and passive property records. It was determined that 46 of these were acquired from Yeliz Kaya and 5 from Zafer Yay, who is said to be one of the founders of the Ahbap Association.
Additionally, the statement transcript reflected that 7 properties, after being acquired from Yeliz Kaya, were transferred back to Kaya. Thus, it was recorded that 58 of the total 59 properties were acquired through Yeliz Kaya and Zafer Yay.
Çağlayan was also asked why the majority of the property movements were concentrated in the short period between October 2025 and May 2026.
Çağlayan argued that he had no intention of acquiring properties and that he was forced to take these properties to collect his receivable from Haluk Levent.
IN RETURN FOR HALUK LEVENT'S DEBT
One of the most striking parts of the investigation was the transfer chain of 22 properties allegedly belonging to Başaran Yatırım Holding and its affiliated companies.
According to findings, some properties were first registered in the name of Yeliz Kaya, then transferred to Esin Önder Çağlayan or his managed companies Globus Savunma and Kanat Savunma within short periods of one to four days.
In transactions covering properties in Istanbul, Karaman, and Trabzon, findings indicated that no money was sent to the previous owners before Yeliz Kaya on the dates of title deed transfers.
Çağlayan argued that he had no connection with Başaran Holding or its officials, did not know who previously owned the properties, and acquired all of them in return for Haluk Levent's debt.
TRANSFER EXISTS, PAYMENT DOES NOT
Similar financial findings were listed in the statement transcript for different property groups. It was noted that on the dates some properties were transferred to Yeliz Kaya, there were no outgoing payments to the previous owners, and on the dates they were transferred to Çağlayan, no payments described as property sales were made to Kaya.
Instead, it was determined that large amounts of money were transferred from Esin Önder Çağlayan to Yeliz Kaya with descriptions such as "sent as debt" or "debt to be repaid."
Çağlayan made a similar defense regarding all these transfers that did not match the sales price:
"These money transfers are actually the money I sent to Haluk Levent as debt."
208 MILLION LIRA TRANSFER WITH “DEBT” DESCRIPTION
When Yeliz Kaya's account movements were examined, it was determined that a total of 208 million 602 thousand 700 liras were sent from Esin Önder Çağlayan on different dates in November 2025.
It was stated that the relevant sections of the transactions contained expressions of "sent as a loan", whereas no clear explanation regarding the land registry fee was found.
It was noted in the minutes that the transfer dates of numerous properties in Pendik, Antalya, Sakarya, and Istanbul were close in time to the money transfers; however, the transactions were recorded not as land registry sale prices but as debts.
PROPERTIES CHANGED HANDS AT JET SPEED
It was determined that some properties in Sakarya were acquired by Yeliz Kaya on November 10, 2025, and transferred to Esin Önder Çağlayan just one day later. It was identified that the same properties were transferred back to Yeliz Kaya in February 2026, and then transferred to Erdem Sarıbaş and other individuals four days later.
Çağlayan stated that after seeing the properties in person, he thought they had no material value and therefore returned them to Yeliz Kaya. Claiming that he had no knowledge of who the properties were later transferred to or for what purpose, Çağlayan also asserted that he did not know Erdem Sarıbaş.
"I THOUGHT IT HAD A SOCIAL PURPOSE"
One of the striking claims in Çağlayan's statement was that new loans were given before the first loan was repaid. Çağlayan recounted that he initially gave Haluk Levent $8 million, and even though no payment was made, he sent another $8 million after Muzaffer Köse said he would act as a guarantor.
Çağlayan stated that he later sent approximately $6 million more based on the claim that a cryptocurrency platform would be established, and argued that although he did not believe in this project, he gave the money thinking it served a social aid purpose.
BURDEN OF $13 MILLION IN CHECKS
Esin Önder Çağlayan also stated that he was under the payment obligation of checks totaling $13 million, which he claimed to have given to Haluk Levent, with maturity dates in August, September, October, and November 2026. Çağlayan requested that it be determined to whom the checks were endorsed. He argued that if these transactions were investigated, the criminals would be revealed.
It was reported that photocopies of the aforementioned checks and delivery documents were also submitted to the investigation file.
Denying the accusations against him, Esin Önder Çağlayan claimed at the end of his statement that he was a victim, not an accomplice. "My conscience was exploited, and I was left in a spiral and defrauded," said Çağlayan, stating that he filed a complaint against Haluk Levent.
Çağlayan argued that Başaran Holding showed the value of the properties as $60 million, while bank appraisals revealed a value of approximately $24-25 million, and he also filed a complaint against Başaran Holding officials due to the allegations against him.
It was learned that in the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the money transfers, debt documents, checks, property registrations, bank appraisal reports, and statements of other suspects were being examined together.