Allegations of corruption surrounding municipalities affiliated with the CHP party spread across Turkey
In a broader anti-graft campaign, legal action has been taken against 220 suspects nationwide, resulting in 37 arrests and judicial controls placed on 150 others. The investigations, which involve senior officials from the Republican People's Party (CHP), are centered around allegations of bribery, tender rigging, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization.
In Antalya, investigators have uncovered a bribery network tied to Mayor Muhittin Böcek involving approximately TL 195 million (around $6 million). Businesspeople who won municipal tenders allegedly paid large kickbacks to secure progress payments and bypass bureaucratic obstacles. Money laundering methods reportedly included routing cash through a currency exchange in Finike, converting money to gold via affiliated jewelry shops, and purchasing luxury vehicles registered under straw owners to obfuscate ownership. Seventeen suspects have been detained, and authorities have requested trustees be appointed to a currency exchange and jewelry stores implicated in the laundering chain.
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, the investigation began in March 2025 and has expanded through nine coordinated waves targeting alleged corruption in the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) and related institutions. High-profile detainees include Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a leading opposition figure and CHP’s 2028 presidential candidate, who has been suspended and held on these charges since March 23, 2025. The probe has also ensnared multiple district mayors, senior bureaucrats, and municipal officials. Recent arrests include İnan Güney, mayor of the Beyoğlu district, who faces criminal organization and fraud charges alongside 16 others.
The ongoing probes have led to the detention of at least 80 individuals, including prominent CHP mayors and municipal managers. The allegations against Taner Cetin, IBB's press and public relations chief, involve key municipal contracts being steered to politically connected companies. Prosecutors accuse Taner Cetin of orchestrating rigged bidding processes. Funds from these allegedly rigged tenders were allegedly funneled abroad or used to purchase high-value properties, luxury cars, and other assets under the names of third parties.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the CHP of trying to shield corrupt officials by politicizing the cases and attacking the judiciary and security forces. He urged the CHP leadership to "act with even the smallest sense of responsibility toward the state from which they earn their living." Erdogan also criticized opposition rallies held in support of accused officials, saying they amounted to pressure on the courts.
The investigations aim to dismantle these alleged corruption networks, with ongoing efforts to uncover the full extent of the bribery and fraudulent activities. As the probes continue, the nation awaits the outcome of these high-profile cases, which have stirred political tensions and raised questions about the integrity of public institutions.
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