Businessman Ali Nuhoğlu, one of the suspects in sweeping corruption probe involving Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and 99 others on charges of bribery, fraud and organized crime, among others, was apprehended Wednesday in Istanbul with 40 million Turkish lira ($1.05 million) in cash.
The investigation covers a wide range of accusations including "leading a criminal organization," "membership in a criminal organization," "bribery," "extortion," "aggravated fraud," "unlawful acquisition of personal data" and "bid-rigging in public tenders," said prosecutors.
Besides these charges, in addition to İmamoğlu, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Deputy Secretary-General Mahir Polat and Şişli District Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan are accused of "aiding the PKK/KCK terrorist organization."
Authorities said that Nuhoğlu, who previously came to the fore with the controversial sale of three luxury villas to İmamoğlu at a fraction of their market value, was caught with millions in cash at his residence.
Investigators also revealed that Emrah Bağdatlı, a suspect tied to the probe and an alleged advisor to IBB Media Inc. Chairman Murat Ongun, fled Türkiye two weeks ago.
Records show that Bağdatlı secured over 60 tenders through IBB Media Inc. from 2022 to 2024, as well as multiple contracts from municipal companies KİPTAŞ and Kültür AŞ. Authorities found he had established numerous advertising agencies under the names of nearly 35 of his employees, many of which shared addresses and coordinated bids to the same tenders.
Police tracking Bağdatlı discovered he attempted to mislead them by purchasing a plane ticket for a flight to Houston, Texas in the US on March 6.
However, he abandoned his phone at home to avoid surveillance and escaped via the İpsala Border Gate by car on March 5 at 6.38 p.m. local time.
As part of the wider probe, authorities have detained 87 suspects, including four out of seven individuals accused of aiding the PKK/KCK terror group.
Three remain fugitives.
In the organized crime case, 83 suspects have been detained, while 10 others, including seven believed to be out of country, remain at large.
