Second wave in Ahbap investigation: 17 more detained

In the second operation of the Istanbul-based investigation into the Ahbap Association, 17 suspects were detained. Donations are alleged to have been transferred irregularly.

Scraper SystemJuly 14, 2026, 12:35 PM

Second wave in Ahbap investigation: 17 more detained

The Istanbul Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit, under the coordination of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, is conducting operations to prevent crimes of 'forming an organization to commit crime', 'aggravated fraud', and 'laundering of proceeds of crime', and to apprehend suspects. The second wave of the Ahbap investigation took place in the morning hours. 17 more individuals were detained.

In the first operation, 21 people had been detained. Among them is singer Haluk Levent. In addition to that operation, 17 more individuals were detained in the second wave of the Ahbap investigation carried out this morning.

Haluk Levent's brother and the Şile Cloth Festival. According to the investigation by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's Organized Crime Investigation Bureau, it is alleged that the organization of the 35th International Şile Cloth Festival, organized by Şile Municipality, was obtained by Berkant Acil using his company Sur Müzik Yapım as a front through direct procurement.

It was stated that in the organization involving Berkant Acil, who is currently detained in the bribery investigation into Şile Municipality, expenses for stage, lighting, and sound systems were inflated with fake invoices, and irregularities were detected by a financial expert report.

125 million transfer through assistant: The investigation also alleged that a portion of donations to the Ahbap Association was transferred to the personal bank account of Haluk Levent's assistant Yeliz Kaya, and from there a total of 125 million 765 thousand lira was directed to the accounts of individuals and companies linked to Berkant Acil, thus the donations were used outside their intended purpose and illicit gain was obtained.

Suspects detained. In this context, teams from the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command's Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch carried out simultaneous operations in Istanbul, İzmir, Kocaeli, and Muğla targeting 14 suspects and 4 companies. During searches at the addresses, numerous digital materials were seized, and 14 suspects were detained. It was learned that the investigation is ongoing in all aspects.

Second wave in Ahbap investigation: 17 more detained

In the second operation of the Istanbul-based investigation into the Ahbap Association, 17 suspects were detained. Donations are alleged to have been transferred irregularly.