29.08.2025 16:07
In the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), businessman Adem Soytekin, who benefited from effective remorse and was placed under house arrest, spoke for the first time. Soytekin claimed that he received an offer from İmamoğlu stating, "If you don't speak, you will become a member of parliament." He also expressed that he was pressured while in prison and that İmamoğlu's lawyer encouraged some contractors to mention his name.
The businessman Adem Soytekin, whose name frequently came up in the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), changed the course of the investigation with the statements he made by benefiting from effective remorse. Known to the public as "İmamoğlu's treasury" and "Black Box," Soytekin spoke for the first time after 116 days and made striking statements.
Under house arrest with an electronic bracelet on his ankle, Soytekin claimed that he received notes from İmamoğlu while he was in prison. He stated that one of the notes suggested, "If you don't speak, you will become a member of parliament."
"I MET İMAMOĞLU IN 2010"
Speaking to Yeni Şafak, Soytekin stated that he was born in Trabzon in 1979 and spent his childhood years in Avcılar, Beylikdüzü, and Esenyurt. He explained that he entered into business after his military service and worked in construction, stating that he founded his own company, ASOY, in 2010, which operates with a workforce of 1,500 people.
He also mentioned that he met İmamoğlu during 2010-2011, during İmamoğlu's tenure as a manager at Trabzonspor:
"Since we were in the same sector, a business relationship started. I made an offer, and when it was deemed appropriate, we worked together."
"I AM NOT A TREASURER"
Soytekin denied the allegations that he was İmamoğlu's treasurer:
"All my company records are being examined. I did rough construction work as a subcontractor. I was not a plasterer or a foreman. We had commercial relations with İmamoğlu, but the treasury characterization is not correct."
"SYSTEM" ALLEGATIONS AND MEETING
Soytekin stated that he heard about the structure called "System," which frequently came up in investigations, while in custody. He noted that money was collected and distributed informally, and he recounted attending a meeting held before an operation in March 2025.
He mentioned that names including Fatih Keleş, Tuncay Yılmaz, Turan Taşkın Özer, and Mehmet Pehlivan attended the meeting, stating that phones were collected and the statements to be given in possible detentions were discussed.
"IF YOU DON'T SPEAK, YOU WILL BECOME A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT"
Soytekin claimed that one of the lawyers who came to him while he was in prison said, "The state does not want you here, do not speak," while another pressured him to sign a promissory note worth 80 million lira.
Additionally, Soytekin alleged that notes and a compass were sent to him from İmamoğlu, stating, "One note said, 'I am not angry, I am hurt. I expect an explanation.' In another, they said, 'If you don't speak, you will become a member of parliament.'
"THEY SAID GIVE MY NAME"
Soytekin also claimed that İmamoğlu's lawyer, Mehmet Pehlivan, encouraged some contractors to mention his name during the interrogation:
"The contractors in Beylikdüzü asked, 'Whose name should we give?' Pehlivan said, 'Give Adem's name.' It is even said that there is a voice recording of this."
HE HAD TESTIFIED AS A WHISTLEBLOWER
In the investigation, Adem Soytekin had testified for the third time to the prosecutor on July 2 under the provisions of effective remorse. In the prosecutor's request to the peace criminal court regarding Soytekin's release, it was stated that the suspect had made detailed and sincere statements regarding the accusations against him and the working method of the organization between June 17-26 and July 2, and that his statement was taken by benefiting from the provisions of effective remorse. The document noted that considering the content of Soytekin's statements, they were consistent, and the events were concretized in terms of person, time, and place.
It was stated in the document that it was concluded that the continuation of the detention measure was no longer necessary due to the stage of the investigation and the current evidence situation, and a request was made for the suspect's release under judicial control conditions. The peace criminal court ruled for the release of suspect Soytekin under the condition of "not leaving his residence."
HERE IS SOYTEKİN'S STATEMENT
Soytekin stated in his testimony that on March 7, 2025, he received a message on his phone from the Zeytinburnu Land Registry Office regarding a precautionary measure on his assets.
Following this, he reported that he called his lawyer Mehmet Pehlivan (the lawyer of Ekrem İmamoğlu - suspect), saying, "He told me, 'We are aware of the issue, we are following it. Let's meet at the Y** law office (the office under the patronage of CHP Istanbul MP Turan Taşkın Özer) in the evening.' When I went to the office in the evening, we were there representing Fatih Keleş, Tuncay Yılmaz, Turan Taşkın Özer, and İbrahim Bülbüllü (a fugitive) and Hüseyin Köksal. As a lawyer group, Mehmet Pehlivan, O. B, and Y. B. were present."
Soytekin stated that before the meeting started, everyone's phones were collected, and Keleş said he left his phone at home, while Yılmaz said he left his in the car, explaining that no digital material was left in the meeting room.
THE ALLEGATION THAT ONGUN SMUGGLED FUGITIVE SUSPECT BAĞDATLI ABROAD
Soytekin continued his statement as follows:
"Turan Taşkın Özer took the floor, stating that the seizures were the beginning of an operation, explaining who would go to whom and where in case of an operation, and what statements would be given in case of detention. Mehmet Pehlivan turned to me and said, 'If you want to go abroad, you can go. Emrah Bağdatlı was sent by Murat Ongun, he is relieved, and if you want to go, you can.' I told him that I had a travel ban and could not leave. Mehmet Pehlivan told me, 'We can get you out through Edirne as we did with Emrah, just take cash with you, we will handle the rest.' I told him, 'I have not committed a crime against my state. My property, my family are here; even if I have a crime, I will serve my sentence here, I will not go abroad.'
Soytekin reported that Pehlivan told Keleş and Yılmaz that İmamoğlu did not want them to go abroad, stating, "In this conversation of Mehmet Pehlivan, it was clear which lawyer was assigned to whom, it was clear that O. was assigned to me, and it was clear which lawyers were assigned to the bureaucrats to be detained at IMM, and what would be discussed in the statements was determined, and it was advised that if the municipal bureaucrats were arrested, they would all receive financial assistance, and everyone was advised to say that 'the operation is political and they will not give statements.'
Soytekin recorded the following in his statement:
"In this meeting, Mehmet Pehlivan stated that the operation was specifically regarding Media AŞ, and that they would not be able to detain Ekrem İmamoğlu anyway. All the scenarios created by these individuals were based on the scenario that İmamoğlu would not be detained after his arrest. After İmamoğlu's detention, the scenario they created was disrupted. There were occasional tensions in this meeting. Fatih Keleş and Tuncay Yılmaz expressed their grievances, saying, 'Where did this presidential candidacy come from, was it really necessary? Ekrem İmamoğlu will continue his enjoyment, is it our concern?' When it was said that everyone needed to vacate their homes, Fatih Keleş said, 'I have a lot of things in my house, what will I do now?'
Tuncay Yılmaz said, 'I have money in my house, what am I going to do?' In this meeting, everyone was preoccupied with their own troubles, including me. The part of the meeting I attended lasted about 1 hour. After 1 hour, Turan Taşkın turned to me and said, 'Do you have anything to say? A. S. and another professor are coming, they are in charge of this, you are in good hands. If you have nothing to say, you can leave.' Just as I was about to leave, A. S. and the other professor he mentioned entered.