The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) will file a criminal complaint against media boss Cafer Mahiroğlu after the owner of broadcaster Halk TV claimed the party’s leader, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, asked him to pay $50 million to finance the party.
Authorities recently appointed trustees to Halk TV after charges of money laundering were filed against Mahiroğlu, who lives abroad. Before the foundation of the New Party (YP) in July, Halk TV was strictly pro-CHP, which was then chaired by YP’s leader Özgür Özel. Kılıçdaroğlu’s reinstatement as CHP chair last May by a court verdict led to a shift in Halk TV’s coverage of the party and, in line with YP supporters’ mindset, its coverage was blatantly anti-Kılıçdaroğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu has in turn accused the broadcaster of disseminating fake news against him and the party. Mahiroğlu took to social media to deny both allegations of money laundering and Kılıçdaroğlu’s statements and recently claimed that Kılıçdaroğlu sought $50 million from him before accusing him of playing a role in appointing trustees to the broadcaster.
In a written statement, Kılıçdaroğlu’s media adviser Atakan Sönmez said they would launch legal proceedings against the baseless allegations targeting Kılıçdaroğlu, “by a fugitive who is investigated for bribery, tender-rigging and money laundering.” Sönmez said they invited “this person who cannot comprehend that the CHP chairman would not bow down in the face of threats, blackmail and slander to take his allegations to court.” “He says he trusted in the state and the country, so it will be a good opportunity for him to reunite with his country,” Sönmez said.
Eight more suspects were issued detention warrants on Tuesday in the investigation, and seven of them were detained while another suspect remains at large.
In a statement, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that seven people had been detained in simultaneous operations in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Eskişehir. The suspects face charges of money laundering and rigging public tenders.
Among the detained suspects were former Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Secretary General Ramazan Tezcan, Izmir Municipality Machinery Supply Department head Haluk Harun Tuzsuzoğlu, Mehmet Meral, an inspector working in the same department, Ibrahim Tuncol, an employee of Tuzsuzoğlu, Filiz Bulut, an employee at a company called Bustech, Murat Topuz, a project manager at the same company and Ibrahim Seyfittinoğlu, a partner at Maker and Zafer Inşaat. Emre Kaya, owner of ESBAKIM, a company based in the central Turkish province of Eskişehir, remains at large.
The statement said the investigation is examining allegations that Halk TV, owned by Mahiroğlu, as well as Özdemir Üç Tekstil, other companies belonging to him and his personal accounts, were funded through a company called Bustech. The company is allegedly owned by Mahiroğlu and was established as a front. The statement also recalled allegations, based on the testimony of a secret witness and statements by suspects seeking to benefit from the effective remorse provisions, that tenders were awarded by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality after Mahiroğlu acquired Halk TV to ensure the broadcaster would not face financial difficulties, and that officials were paid bribes in cash during the payment process for those contracts.
A total of 13 people were detained in the first wave of the investigation into Mahiroğlu, while five were held in custody.
An arrest warrant was issued for Mahiroğlu in June, after which the Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) appointed trustees to take over Halk TV and his other companies.
In an earlier statement, the prosecutor’s office said the investigation into Mahiroğlu was based on testimony by businessperson Aziz Ihsan Aktaş, who also became a state witness in a corruption case focused on former Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, a prominent figure of the CHP who later aligned with Özel.
Aktaş, who was arrested on charges of “establishing and leading a criminal organization,” was released under judicial control on June 4 after benefiting from the effective remorse provisions.
