Six suspects were arrested Monday in an investigation into allegations that personal and location data of 4.7 million users of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s “Istanbul Senin” mobile app were leaked to two foreign countries, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said.
Fifteen suspects had been detained in the probe, which also accuses an organized crime network allegedly led by jailed Istanbul Metropolitan Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu of illicitly accessing personal data, tax violations and issuing fake invoices. Nine others were released under judicial control.
Prosecutors claim the users’ personal and location data were put up for sale on the dark web and that data from another sub-application, “IBB Hanem,” containing information on 11 million citizens, was unlawfully processed and leaked.
Authorities said the investigation targets executives from six companies, including Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality subsidiaries, as well as individuals allegedly connected to fugitive suspect Murat Gülibrahimoğlu. 15 more suspects were initially detained on Friday on charges of leaking personal and location data of 4.7 million users to two foreign countries through the "Istanbul Senin” mobile app.
Earlier on Monday, Imamoğlu, who was suspended from duty earlier on charges of corruption, was detained for the crime of "political espionage" linked to terrorist groups and foreign states.
