20.07.2026 10:10
It has been revealed that the "Most Trustworthy Person" survey, in which Haluk Levent, arrested in the Ahbap Association investigation, ranked first six times, was not actually real. There is no actual social survey conducted under the name "Turkey's Most Trustworthy Person." The purpose of the so-called survey is not to measure the general moral trustworthiness of celebrities, but to determine the extent to which the target audience trusts these celebrities in product and brand recommendations. Moreover, the celebrity names included in the responses are predetermined.
The truth behind the title “Turkey’s most trusted person,” long debated in the public eye and recently subject to judicial investigations, and the survey on which this title is based, have been revealed. Examinations showed that the public did not choose a name based on their own free will; the survey was conducted entirely using a pre-prepared list and for a completely different purpose.
“THE MOST TRUSTED PERSON SURVEY” DOES NOT EXIST
According to research results, there is no social survey titled “Turkey’s most trusted person.” The actual name of the study in question is the “Celebrity Trust Index.” The purpose of this research, jointly conducted by MediaCat magazine and Ipsos, is not to measure the general moral trustworthiness of celebrities but to determine the extent to which the target audience trusts these celebrities in product and brand recommendations.
In other words, the study serves as an advertising and marketing tool designed to help brands decide which celebrity to work with.
THE COMPANY DETERMINES, NOT THE PUBLIC
The most striking aspect of the survey lies in its questioning technique. Participants are not asked an open-ended question like “Who do you trust?” The names on the list, which includes famous actors, singers, and TV personalities, are predetermined. Participants are only asked to rank them.
The methodology of the latest study conducted in August 2025 is as follows:
Pre-prepared List: Participants are shown photos of 80 celebrities predetermined by MediaCat.
Directed Question: Participants are asked to rate these 80 celebrities on a scale of 10, based on the scenario: “Imagine these celebrities are recommending a product or service to you.”
Sample: Conducted using the CAWI (online interview) technique in 12 provinces with 1,000 people aged 15-55. The margin of error is stated as ±3.1% at a 95% confidence interval.
Period: After fieldwork in October 2023, no survey was conducted in 2024, while the latest wave took place in August 2025.
TRANSFORMATION OF THE WORD “CELEBRITY” INTO “PERSON”
According to reports, the manipulation of the title occurred in three stages:
Publication Name: MediaCat already published the research under the title “Turkey’s most trusted celebrities.”
Media Language: Press outlets said “Turkey’s most trusted names have been announced,” reducing the emphasis on “celebrity.”
Public Language: Over time, the phrase evolved among the public into “the most trusted person.”
HALUK LEVENT’S SURVEY REPORT CARD
Throughout the six published waves, Haluk Levent always ranked first on the list. However, the decline in his scores drew attention:
In the relevant survey published in 2017, Haluk Levent ranked 3rd. Müge Anlı was in 1st place. By 2019, Levent took the lead from Müge Anlı. In 2020, Haluk Levent remained in 1st place with 70.9%. In 2022, this rate dropped to 69.2%, but Levent continued to stay in 1st place.
When the dates showed 2023, the survey was repeated. Levent’s trust rate continued to decrease and fell to 67.3 points, yet he maintained his 1st place. In 2025, Levent’s trust rate fell to 60.9%, and he still managed to hold onto 1st place. (In the same year, Kenan İmirzalıoğlu had 54%, Müge Anlı had 49.5%).
The drop in Levent’s score from 70.9% to 60.9% became another notable piece of data.
HALUK LEVENT’S ROLE IN THE SURVEY
In the claimed public opinion surveys, a leading question emerges regarding Haluk Levent being chosen as “the most trusted person.” Accordingly, participants are not directly asked the question, “Who is the most trusted person?” This question is asked more in the context of “Which celebrity would you trust more if they promoted a product to you?”
Haluk Levent never directly used the statement “I am the most trusted person in Turkey.” However, it was observed that he first used this expression during the investigation launched into the Ahbap Association in July 2026.
Levent himself, about 4 years ago on Okan Bayülgen’s show, showed that he was aware of this situation, humorously stating, “I tell you, don’t trust me too much. I could sell you all out at any moment,” indicating the issue was exaggerated.
TWO NOTABLE STATEMENTS IN THE INVESTIGATION
Lawyer Ece Güner, arrested as part of the investigation, claimed that when Haluk Levent asked her for a loan, he said, “I am the most trusted person in Turkey; people entrust me with their millions; I will pay it back immediately.” In a letter from prison, she claimed the phrase was “I am chosen as the most trusted person in Turkey in public opinion surveys every year,” and that the debt reached 1 million 570 thousand dollars.
Similarly, Sevda Kurt, who was also mentioned in the investigation, claimed in her statement that Levent approached her using the same title and that she suffered a loss of approximately 90 million liras.
WHAT IS THE LATEST STATUS IN THE INVESTIGATION?
On July 15-16, 2026, the Criminal Judgeship of Peace ordered the arrest of 14 suspects, including Haluk Levent and Ece Güner, and judicial control measures for 11 other suspects.
The suspects are charged with “establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime,” “laundering assets derived from crime,” “misuse of office due to service,” and “fraud by self-employed persons.”
SURVEYS ARE BEING CONFUSED
It has been observed that the survey in question is often confused with these two different data sets.
In Gezici Research’s 2020 study titled “Most Trusted Names,” the top spots were occupied by Uğur Dündar, Acun Ilıcalı, İsmail Küçükkaya, Hande Fırat, and Ahmet Hakan. Haluk Levent was on this list of 55 people but was not at the top. This shows that the result changes when the question is asked differently.
In TIME 100 2023, Levent was included in the list under the “Icons” category, but Haluk Levent, disturbed by the promotional text written by Elif Şafak, announced that he had rejected the award. This list measured the most “influential,” not the most “trustworthy,” people.
A TITLE THAT DOES NOT REFLECT THE TRUTH
There is a real survey and real results; however, the title “Turkey’s most trusted person” does not reflect the truth. A “brand face trust measurement” prepared for the advertising sector has been used as a social endorsement document through media headline games and, according to allegations, the statements of the person being measured.