20.07.2026 15:21
It was alleged that former managers of a housing complex in Tuzla, Istanbul transferred approximately 22.5 million lira collected from residents to their own accounts and spent it on illegal betting. While the complex had illegally connected electricity and natural gas, and employee salaries and Social Security Institution premiums were left unpaid, bringing it to the brink of bankruptcy; property owners, facing a multimillion-dollar embezzlement, debt enforcement, and armed threats, called on the authorities.
The Fiyaka 3 complex with 268 apartments in Tuzla, Istanbul, has come to the spotlight with allegations of irregularities, threats, and fraud. According to the residents' accounts, in 2023, the site management was taken over by two partners, Nihat Ö. and Suat Y., through pressure, threats, and blackmail. For approximately three years, no maintenance, repairs, or official payments were made using the dues collected from the residents.
THEY ILLEGALLY CONNECTED ELECTRICITY AND NATURAL GAS Investigations revealed that the natural gas and electricity in the common areas of the complex were illegally connected, employee salaries were not paid, and debts of nearly 4.5 million lira had accumulated to the Social Security Institution (SGK). The most striking allegation in the emerging scandal was the fate of the collected funds.
It was alleged that Nihat Ö. transferred approximately 22.5 million lira collected from the unit owners to his personal accounts and used these funds on illegal betting sites. Noticed when the new management reviewed the accounts, unit owners and the new management, facing an enforcement shock due to the massive debt burden that nearly bankrupted the complex, appealed for help from authorities.
“WE ARE BANKRUPT”
Volkan Karakaya from the new management described the process and the irregularities they identified as follows:
“In 2023, an infamous general assembly decision was made. They came into management through pressure, blackmail, threats, and irregular methods. By the time we reached 2026, a total of nearly 32 million had been collected. However, there was no corresponding expenditure at the site. When we reviewed the accounts after taking over management, we saw that nearly 22.5 million had been transferred to the former president’s account. Of course, we also found that funds were diverted from his account elsewhere. We have filed our complaints with the prosecutor’s office regarding these matters. After taking over management, we know that the site's total debt to the market, including liabilities, is close to 11.5 million TL. Within the two weeks since we took office, bailiffs have visited the site intermittently for enforcement. Gas was illegally connected, electricity was illegally connected. There is an incredible problem at our complex; frankly, we are currently bankrupt. There is a great hardship, and we do not know how to get out of this debt. We are a complex of 268 apartments consisting of independent sections. Nihat Ö. and Suat Y. have been victimizing our complex for about two and a half years. We expect support from state institutions in this matter.”
OLD MANAGEMENT HIRED A HITMAN TO TARGET THE NEW MANAGEMENT Lale Mercan, a complex resident who stated that they were subjected to pressure and threats from the old management, expressed their experiences as follows:
“We have very serious grievances; we are being threatened. Money was sent to have my husband shot by the old management. We are threatened by these people, and when my daughter was taking the university entrance exam, we received very serious threats, so I had to send my daughter out of town after the exam. We all got together and formed a group, and we obtained the documents here. After obtaining the documents, I started collecting signatures; signatures are very important for us. We formed a majority and invited the people and the old management to a meeting. But we received threats saying, ‘These things should not be done.’ The police were called on the first meeting day; people were threatened that ‘they will come and shoot you here.’ Despite this, we succeeded; the old management is gone, but our grievances are immense. Our unit owners, thankfully, did not abandon us. We are asking for help from all our state authorities; we are very victimized. We particularly know that our Governorship works very meticulously on these issues, and we demand that such organizations do not victimize people.”
THEY SHOT AT THEIR HOMES Nurettin Körpe, stating that there were security issues and illegal fund collections at the complex, said:
“Earlier, we experienced a shooting incident at our window twice. When we reported it, they said, ‘The police did it,’ and they constantly lied. We were very victimized in this matter. When we asked, they said, ‘It was done by outsiders coming to the complex; they did it to protect us,’ and other lies. We later learned that the situation was different, but there was nothing we could do. They tried to suppress us with lies and threats on every front. Also, they were constantly collecting money. Frankly, we saw no action or progress. Personally, I spent close to 70-80 thousand lira on top of the dues. So, the departure of this management was better for us. We want to do our best to ensure they are caught. Let them face whatever penalties they deserve; we are victimized in this matter. Let them not victimize others as well.”
DOCUMENTS REVEALED THE IRREGULARITIES Volkan Karakaya, showing official documents regarding the old management's expenditures, listed the details as follows:
“The electricity in all common areas and the lighting of our complex are currently illegally connected. The electricity in the common areas of the apartment units is all illegal. In 2023, there was an armed conflict here, and prohibited substances were searched for in those areas. After that, they locked those areas. Because the former president Nihat Ö.’s house is right above. When materials were thrown from there to these areas, police officers conducted searches here. A total of 22 million 595 thousand lira was transferred from the complex's management account to four different bank accounts of Nihat Ö. It is written here along with explanations. There are payments made under the description of ‘honorarium’ extensively. Later, payments were made with explanations like ‘bill payment’ and ‘electricity payment,’ but all these payments were again made from his personal account. Even 49 thousand lira was paid for taxi expenses. We also have a debt of nearly 4.5 million to SGK. In other words, no SGK payments were made in 2.5 to 3 years; employee premiums were not paid. In 2023, the previous management restructured the tax debts. The total tax debt was 31,710 lira. Over these 2.5 years, the total tax debt increased to 830 thousand lira, and these were not paid either.”