Two suspects who were detained in the investigation against Can Holding have been arrested.

01.10.2025 23:02

As part of the investigation into Can Holding, suspects Turgay Ciner's son Atilla Ciner and Gökhan Şen, the CEO of Ciner Glass AŞ, have been arrested. Turgay Ciner, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued, has not yet surrendered.

Atilla Ciner, the son of Turgay Ciner, and Gökhan Şen, the CEO of Ciner Glass AŞ, were arrested as part of the investigation into Can Holding.

The investigation initiated by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the officials of Can Holding continues, focusing on charges of "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime," "managing," "being a member of the established organization," "money laundering of assets obtained from crime," and "qualified fraud."

SON OF TURGAY CİNER ARRESTED

The suspects were transferred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan after their health checks.

Among the suspects who gave statements at the prosecutor's office, Atilla Ciner, the son of Turgay Ciner, and Gökhan Şen, the CEO of Ciner Glass AŞ, were referred to the peace criminal court with a request for arrest. The peace criminal court decided to arrest the suspects Atilla Ciner and Gökhan Şen.

Judicial control measures in the form of "prohibition of leaving the country" were applied to the suspects Hacı Mustafa Kıraç, Ömer Çatal, Orhan Yüksel, Gürsel Usta, İsmail Karakuzu, Yalçın Tahiroğlu, Timur Haşhaş, Kemal Gürsel Özyar, Selçuk Yeşiltaş, and Çiğdem Yılmaz.

WHAT HAPPENED?

It was claimed that an organization was established to commit crimes through companies operating under Can Holding, and that various actions were carried out through this organization, including "qualified fraud," "tax evasion," "depositing income of unknown origin into company accounts," and "money laundering of income obtained from crime."

The investigation was initiated based on reports from the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) and examination reports prepared by financial audit units.

It was alleged that significant amounts of money of unknown origin were transferred through companies operating under Can Holding, and that these funds were transferred between various companies to conceal their traces, with tax liabilities being reduced through unbilled transactions and the preparation of fake documents.

It was claimed that the profit-oriented criminal organization established under the holding structure operated under the leadership of Kemal Can and Mehmet Şakir Can, complicating control and monitoring mechanisms by establishing numerous companies in the same fields of activity, making changes in the boards of directors, distributing responsibility among organization members, and aiming to evade legal sanctions.

THE ALLEGATIONS ARE VERY SERIOUS

Additionally, it was claimed that cash capital increases were made in companies that had no commercial activity, with the source of these capital increases being shown as debts to partners, which did not reflect reality, and that the amounts seen in the debts to partners account were reinvested in the company under the "Asset Peace Law" numbered 7256, and that these transactions were characterized as including and laundering income obtained from crime in violation of the law's purpose.

According to findings obtained from MASAK reports, it was noted that the criminal organization expanded its commercial volume through illegal income obtained from predicate offenses such as "qualified fraud," "smuggling," and "violation of the Tax Procedure Law," and that company acquisitions, share transfers, and investment activities in strategic sectors such as education, media, finance, and energy were financed directly with criminal proceeds, aiming to both increase the organization's economic power and gain legitimacy in the eyes of the public.

As part of the investigation, the assets of 121 companies were seized, and a trustee was appointed by the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), with detention orders issued for 10 suspects.

Teams from the Istanbul Gendarmerie Command detained 6 suspects, including Kenan Tekdağ, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Can Yayın Holding, during an operation they conducted.

Some of the companies that were appointed trustees are as follows:

"Habertürk Journalism, Ciner Media TV Services, Show Television Broadcasting, Boğaziçi Radio Television Broadcasting and Advertising, Energy Petroleum Products Marketing, Nature Schools Management, Bilgi Nature Education Management, Turktobacco Cigarette Import and Export Marketing, HT Sports Television Broadcasting, and Bosphorus Media Group Radio and Television Broadcasting Joint Stock Company."

Among the suspects sent to the courthouse and whose statements were taken at the prosecutor's office, D. Ç, D. C, M. K, and K. Ç. were arrested for "being a member of an organization established for the purpose of committing a crime" and "money laundering," while C. C. was arrested for "being a member of an organization established for the purpose of committing a crime."

Suspect Tekdağ was sent to the court with a request for judicial control measures in the form of "house arrest" and "prohibition of leaving the country" for the same offenses.

The court decided to arrest D. Ç, D. C, M. K, K. Ç, and C. C. for the charges against them, while judicial control measures in the form of "house arrest" and "prohibition of leaving the country" were applied to suspect Kenan Tekdağ.

Meanwhile, the Küçükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office sent the investigation file to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to lack of jurisdiction.

As part of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was decided to appoint trustees to 10 more companies owned by Can Holding. The names of the 10 companies to which trustees were appointed are as follows:

"Türktab Marketing Cigarette and Tobacco AŞ, ZA Logistics and Vehicle Rental Services Trade AŞ, Canpet Gas Station Management AŞ, Tares Tech. Products Import and Export Ltd. Co., Furkon Technical Hardware Industry and Foreign Trade Ltd. Co., Clean Oil and Real Estate Trade AŞ, MCN Oil AŞ, Yön Private Education Publishing Industry Trade AŞ, Mer Investment and Private Education Services AŞ, Bee Science Innovation Education Services AŞ."

Kemal Can, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Can Holding, who was detained as part of the investigation, was also arrested by the peace criminal court for "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime," "managing," and "concealing the illegal source of assets."

ARREST WARRANT FOR CİNER

As part of the investigation, it was determined that Can Holding AŞ purchased media organizations such as Ciner Media TV Services AŞ, Show Television Broadcasting AŞ, Habertürk Journalism AŞ, HT Sports Television Broadcasting AŞ, C Visual Publications AŞ, Kanal 1 Visual Television Production AŞ, CİNER Digital Broadcasting Services AŞ, Boğaziçi Radio and Television Broadcasting AŞ, and C Production Film Production AŞ, which are under the ownership of Turgay Ciner and operate under the Ciner Group, through a share purchase agreement on December 22, 2024.

In the investigation, it was understood that there were suspicions and findings regarding the crime of "money laundering of assets obtained from crime" in the context of the organization activity in the mentioned purchase and transfer transactions, and an arrest warrant was issued for suspect Turgay Ciner, who was determined to be abroad.

In the investigation, it was found that the companies Park Holding AŞ, AFC Import Export Tourism AŞ, Zeyfa Import Export AŞ, and Silopi Electricity Production AŞ, which belong to Ciner Group, of which suspect Ciner is the owner and authorized person, were also involved.

The Peace Criminal Court had decided to appoint the TMSF as the trustee.

Upon determining that crimes within the scope of the investigation were committed in the corporate entities owned and authorized by the suspect Ciner, a detention order was issued for 12 suspects in order to uncover the material truth.

The names of the suspects who were given a detention order are as follows:

Atilla Ciner, son of Turgay Ciner, Gökhan Şen, CEO of Ciner Glass UK, Gürsel Usta, Chairman of the Board of Park Holding, Orhan Yüksel, Vice Chairman of the Board of Park Holding, Selçuk Yeşiltaş, Board Member of Park Holding, Çiğdem Yılmaz, Board Member of Park Holding, Yalçın Tahiroğlu, Financial Affairs employee of Park Holding, İsmail Karakuzu, Board Member of Park Elektrik, Ömer Çatal, Board Member of Park Elektrik Konya Ilgın, Haci Mustafa Kıraç, Board Member of Park Elektrik, Kemal Gürsel Özyar, Purchasing and Import Manager of Park Elektrik, and Timur Haşhaş.

TRUSTEE FOR 18 MORE COMPANIES

In a statement made by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was reported that during the investigations, strong suspicions were identified regarding the existence of financial and commercial ties between Can Holding AŞ and Park Holding AŞ, which operates under the Ciner Group, and that the transactions and activities carried out through these ties served to launder the proceeds of crime.

The companies that were appointed trustees were listed as follows:

"Transworld International Transportation and Brokerage Services Ltd. Co., Turktab Karon Tobacco Products Food Marketing Inc., Turktab Tobacco Food Logistics and Marketing Inc., Turktab Wholesale Tobacco Products Marketing Distribution Inc., Turktab Tobacco Food and Beverage Industry Trade Marketing Inc., Turktab Food Tobacco and Tobacco Products Import Export Trade Inc., Turktab Global Tobacco Cigarette and Tobacco Marketing Inc., Kuranlar Petroleum Automotive Construction Food Industry Trade Ltd. Co., European International Tobacco Cigarette and Tobacco Industry Trade Inc., and Nargıll Tobacco Products Industry Trade Inc., Park Technical Electricity Mining Tourism Industry and Trade Inc. affiliated with Park Holding AŞ, Park Electricity Production Mining Industry and Trade Inc., Konya Ilgın Electricity Production Industry and Trade Inc., Park Insurance Brokerage Services Inc., Ciner Tourism Trade Construction Service Industry Inc., Etz Mining Energy Petroleum Industry and Trade Inc., Söğütözü Import Export and Trade Inc., and Kasımpaşa Sports Activities Inc."