15.07.2026 15:30
In the Ahbap Association investigation, detained lawyer Ece Güner stated in her testimony that she met Haluk Levent after the earthquake donation and lent him a total of $1.5 million, part of which was repaid after one year. Noting that her uncle, who is also a lawyer, intervened to recover the debt, Güner said, "He would constantly tell me stories about his and his family's health that evoked pity."
The police statement of lawyer Ece Güner, who was detained as part of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the Ahbap Association, has emerged.
"I HAVE BEEN DONATING TO THE ASSOCIATION FOR THE LAST 5-6 YEARS"
In her statement, lawyer Ece Güner said she did not wish to benefit from the provisions of effective remorse, stating: "I have approximately 1 million dollars in savings in my bank account. Apart from that, I recall having around one hundred thousand dollars in savings abroad, although I do not remember the exact amount. I have never worked anywhere other than Güner Law Office until now. I know that the Ahbap Association is a charity organization. I have been donating to this association for the last 5-6 years. I made substantial donations, especially during the earthquake. I have no knowledge about the establishment and structure of the Ahbap Association; I only know Haluk Levent by name as a famous and philanthropic person. I made my donations via IBAN numbers shared on social media. I do not know who manages the accounts of the Ahbap Association. Additionally, I have never acted as a lawyer or consultant for either this association or the person named Haluk Levent."
"HE CAME TO MY OFFICE WITH A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS..."
In the continuation of her statement, Güner said: "I knew Haluk Levent because I considered him a famous and charitable person. After the Hatay earthquake, I made a substantial donation. Following my donations, the person named Haluk Levent reached me via my phone number. He visited me and said he wanted to have a coffee with me. I did not really want my donations to be noticed or heard about. I did not particularly want Haluk Levent to meet with me. Between May and June 2023, Haluk Levent came to my office with a bouquet of flowers. That was the first time I met him face-to-face. After that date, he started asking me for loans, offering excuses related to problems in the earthquake zone.
"INITIALLY, I SENT 300-400 THOUSAND DOLLARS AS A LOAN"
He initially asked me for around 300-400 thousand dollars. At that time, I also had plans to buy a house from İstinye Park. I had a large amount of idle cash in the bank. I sent the 300-400 thousand dollars to the accounts of people specified by Haluk Levent, with the amount written in dollars and described as a loan. Haluk Levent repaid the loan on the promised date via the account holders I had sent the money to. The same thing happened... Within two weeks, he again asked me for a similar amount as a two-week loan, claiming they had cash flow issues because urgent needs in the earthquake zone, such as water, bread, and food, could not be invoiced through the association. I transferred the money to the accounts of the people Haluk Levent sent. When I asked Haluk Levent why I was sending money to these people's accounts, he said these friends were on the ground and they needed the money urgently in that region, so they followed this method. He repaid this amount within two to three weeks. This way, he gained my trust."
THE MONEY TRAFFIC CONTINUED LIKE THIS
In the continuation of her statement, Güner said: "Around August 2023, during our meeting, Haluk Levent mentioned that a large technology park would be established in Ankara under the leadership of the Ahbap Association, and a philanthropic businessman would undertake it, providing around 3 million dollars in aid. He said that this businessman's funds were temporarily blocked due to a tax issue, and that the Ahbap Association had made many commitments regarding this project. He stated that if they couldn't fulfill them, it would be a huge blow to the association, lawsuits could be filed, and the association's name could be tarnished. Initially, he asked me for a loan of 3 million dollars. I told him I did not have that much money. Then, with persistent calls, he contacted me repeatedly. Trusting him because he had repaid previous loans on time, I initially sent the TL equivalent of around 1 million dollars via IBAN numbers belonging to other people that Haluk Levent had sent me, with the description indicating the dollar amount and that it was a loan.
"HE CONSTANTLY TOLD ME STORIES THAT EVOKED PITY ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY"
Regarding the technology park, he said the businessman, who was supposed to make a donation, would donate to the Ahbap Association; however, since the money he requested from me was a loan, not a donation, he asked me to send it to personal accounts, not to the association. He stated that when the donation money from the said businessman arrived, he would repay the temporary loan I had sent. After a month passed, he did not repay his debt. He made excuses and told me long stories, saying he could repay the debt in about three months. Even though he had not repaid his debt, he repeatedly requested additional loans from me. He constantly told me stories that evoked pity about his own and his family's health.
"I LENT A TOTAL OF 1 MILLION 570 THOUSAND DOLLARS"
After this, Haluk Levent again requested a loan from me. On top of the 1 million dollars I had previously given in a few installments, I sent a total of 570 thousand dollars in TL equivalent, again stating in each description the dollar amount and that it was a loan. So, I lent him a total of 1 million 570 thousand dollars in TL equivalent. We recorded this debt of 1 million 570 thousand dollars with his signature in a document. After long efforts, Haluk Levent repaid this debt in TL through the IBANs he gave me, piece by piece over about a year, though not the full dollar equivalent. I submit the documents I had Haluk Levent sign, in the presence of lawyers, to you to be forwarded to the prosecutor's office. To recover these prolonged debts, my uncle, who is a lawyer, got involved. After we told Haluk Levent that we would take legal action if he did not pay his debt, he began repaying his debts to me piecemeal. Around the summer of 2024, he paid back the dollar equivalent of almost all my debts in TL," she said.