14.07.2025 22:01
In the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), businessman Adem Soytekin, who was arrested and became a whistleblower, claimed that after benefiting from effective remorse, Ekrem İmamoğlu sent him a note through a lawyer stating, "I am not angry, I am hurt. I expect an explanation for why you did this."
Businessman Adem Soytekin, who provided a statement under the effective remorse provisions in the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), claimed that after benefiting from effective remorse, Ekrem İmamoğlu sent him a note through his lawyer saying, "I am not angry, I am hurt, I expect an explanation for why you did it."
THE CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION AGAINST IMM CONTINUES The corruption investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against suspects, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested and removed from the position of IMM President, for crimes such as "being a leader of a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," "extortion," "bribery," "qualified fraud," "illegally obtaining personal data," and "interfering with a tender" is ongoing.
BUSINESSMAN ADEM SOYTEKİN BECAME A WHISTLEBLOWER Detained in the investigation, Soytekin provided a statement to the prosecutor's office under the effective remorse provisions on June 17-26 and July 2. After giving his statement, Soytekin was released under judicial control with the condition of "not leaving his residence" by the peace criminal court. In his statement, he argued that despite not wanting to, he was labeled as the "cashier," "trusted man," and "plasterer" of Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested and removed from the position of IMM President, but he was never any of those things.
"I DID NOT RECEIVE PAYMENT FOR THE APARTMENTS I TRANSFERRED" Soytekin, who stated that İmamoğlu caused him more harm than benefit, claimed that İmamoğlu had no role in the growth of his business. He mentioned that he transferred a 4+1 garden duplex from his Butik Panaroma project in Bahçeşehir to suspect Serdar Taşkın and a 2+1 apartment to suspect Ercan Saatçi, saying: "As far as I remember, the title deed of the apartment I gave to Ercan Saatçi was not in his name. I did not receive any payment from these individuals for the apartments I transferred.
I transferred these apartments after Mehmet Murat Çalık, who was removed from the position of Beylikdüzü Mayor, called me and said that the apartments requested by İmamoğlu should be given to Taşkın and Saatçi. I believe the money for these apartments was delivered in cash to my employee named Serpil by Zafer Keleş (suspect) and Murat Keleş (suspect) approximately 5-6 months later." he said.
"IF İMAMOĞLU BECOMES PRESIDENT, HE WANTED MURAT ÇALIK AS IMM PRESIDENT" Soytekin stated: "After Ekrem İmamoğlu became President, he wanted Mehmet Murat Çalık to take over as IMM President. For this, they bought 5 apartments on the 5th floor of the Topkapı Project I was working on, to combine them for Çalık's use and to create an office in a central location. The project for this place was drawn by his relative Mete E.
Adem Soytekin The payment for this place was supposed to be sent to İmamoğlu after I transferred Çalık's share in the land he co-owned with Fatih Keleş and İmamoğlu in Balıkesir Güre. We held a meeting in Beylikdüzü at the end of 2024 regarding this. In the meeting, Veysel Erçevik (suspect) was present representing Çalık, while Tuncay Yılmaz (suspect) was present representing İmamoğlu. The transfer process did not take place due to the operation. No payment was made to me either."
"SOME PEOPLE TRIED TO SHIFT THE BLAME ON OTHERS" Soytekin stated that from what he understood from the parts of the investigation that were leaked to the press, he saw that many people benefiting from effective remorse were trying to shift all the blame onto Fatih Keleş and himself, saying, "However, during the time I was with these individuals, I witnessed that Fatih Keleş was also being used. I am not saying that the right things were done, but I think it is wrong for some people to be highlighted and blamed while the real culprits are being tried to be saved. Fatih Keleş did not do any of the mentioned matters of his own volition."
"AFTER BENEFITING FROM EFFECTIVE REMORSE, İMAMOĞLU SENT ME A NOTE" Regarding the media coverage of his benefit from the effective remorse provisions, Soytekin said: "After my benefit from effective remorse was reported in the press, when my attorney with power of attorney visited me, he brought me a message through a lawyer named Onur, stating that Ekrem İmamoğlu sent a note to Onur saying, 'I am not angry, I am hurt, I expect an explanation for why you did it.'
Again, lawyer Onur Büyükhatipoğlu (suspect) came to me after the statement I gave on the 17th and asked if Murat Gülibrahimoğlu (suspect) had sent a lawyer. I said no one had come. He then said that some lawyers on behalf of Gülibrahimoğlu visited some suspect detainees, conveying messages like, 'Don't talk, stand tall. We will come back much stronger. All our preparations are complete.' He said, 'If they come to you, let me know.'
Soytekin stated that he signed a contract to build Asoy Plaza on a profit-sharing basis, explaining: "During the construction phase, the 9th floor of the building was built for İmamoğlu's SSB Real Estate through a land share sale before the condominium title was established. In relation to this sale, the officially shown money was deposited into the company's account. Based on this money, the land share sale took place. In return for this land share, 14 offices on the 9th floor correspond to the full floor with the highest share.
In return for this, we agreed on a total of 5.5 million dollars with Tuncay Yılmaz through the protocol we made. In return for this agreement, 5 million dollars was paid to us at different times with money brought from the system."
Stating that suspect Mehmet Pehlivan came to the office in Topkapı in February and March and told him, "They have done ridiculous work. I just came from Ali Nuhoğlu's place. We fixed the invoice issues there. Now we need to fix your company's invoice problems," Soytekin said, "I directed him to the accounting department. An invoice was prepared based on the construction cost as Pehlivan wanted. This invoice was supposed to be processed, but this could not be done. The operation took place, and currently, when looking at our company's accounts, there is such a receivable."
"TWO LAWYERS I HAD NEVER MET BEFORE CAME TO THE PRISON" Soytekin noted that two lawyers he had never met before came to the penal institution where he was detained, despite not requesting it, stating, "One of these lawyers was male, and the other was female. The male lawyer told me, 'The state sent me, you are going to be a whistleblower, don't do it. The state does not want you to be here at all.'
"This operation is not carried out by the state. Stand tall, the state will be by your side," he said. I responded by saying, "If the state does not want us to be here, then why did they bring us here?" and ended the meeting." Adem Soytekin claimed that the female lawyer who came to the meeting asked him for a promissory note of 80 million."