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A Turkish court has ordered the arrest of singer Haluk Levent and 13 other suspects as part of an investigation into the charity Ahbap Association. Authorities allege that public donations raised by the prominent aid group were diverted into the personal bank accounts of those running it.
The case is being spearheaded by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and targets Levent, who founded the charity, alongside dozens of affiliates.
The legal crackdown moved to the courts after 25 initial suspects were processed. While 11 individuals secured release under judicial monitoring, 14 high-profile figures—including Levent, Ece Guner, Ilker Cetin, Nurdan Eris, Yusuf Can Ertit, Kemal Otunc, Sehmuz Bastug, Abdulcevat Ozkan, Emrah Godeliner, Erhan Dokmeci, Halil Bostanci, Mehmet Ulu, Yeliz Kaya and Zafer Yay—were sent to prison pending trial.
The scope of the inquiry continues to widen, with 17 other suspects currently held by gendarmerie units as their cases are reviewed.
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The Istanbul Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit carried out the operation in coordination with the prosecutor's office, targeting suspected offenses including forming an organization to commit crime, aggravated fraud and laundering proceeds of crime.
Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) reports on Ahbap Association employees, along with account movement reviews and technical and physical surveillance, reportedly identified high-value money transfers among the suspects that were inconsistent with their financial profiles.
Investigators also said the suspects transferred large sums into gambling accounts, incurring substantial losses through betting, and carried out numerous property transfers among themselves in rapid succession.
The initial operation, which included Levent among 17 suspects linked to Ahbap Association staff and members, took place on July 12. Nine additional suspects were detained as the investigation continued.
One suspect was released following police questioning, while the remaining 25 were referred to the courthouse for judicial proceedings.
In a coordinated operation, the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command's Smuggling and Organized Crime Unit detained 17 more suspects in simultaneous raids across Istanbul, Izmir, Kocaeli and Mugla provinces.
Combined, the two operations have led to the detention of more than 40 suspects to date, though legal proceedings for those held by gendarmerie units remain separate from the 25 suspects processed through the Istanbul courthouse.
Ahbap is a humanitarian association in Türkiye founded by Levent that has been involved in disaster relief and charitable fundraising campaigns.
The investigation centers on allegations that funds collected in the association's name were diverted through personal and gambling accounts rather than used for their stated charitable purpose.
The allegations remain part of an ongoing investigation, and authorities have not issued a final court ruling on the merits of the case.
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