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In the ongoing Istanbul corruption probe, businessman Eyup Subasi, who benefited from the “effective remorse” clause twice and was released under judicial control, has provided new statements revealing a complex network of alleged irregularities tied to former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu’s consultants and municipal officials.
Subasi stated in his testimony, “Imamoglu’s advisors, along with municipal bureaucrats and employees involved in these irregular activities, are part of a structure referred to as the ‘system.’” He further claimed that cash flows were conducted with Imamoglu’s knowledge, describing numerous illicit dealings in detail.
According to Subasi, he first met Fatih Keles in 2014 at a dinner. Two months before the municipal elections that year, Keles contacted him, offering to manage the pressure and wall works for Imamoglu’s election campaign. Subasi accepted the proposal and was introduced to Imamoglu at a campaign office in Beylikduzu. Following this, Subasi managed advertising work for Imamoglu during his terms as both Beylikduzu mayor and later Istanbul mayor.
Subasi alleges that Keles demanded 10% of his revenue in cash as a bribe connected to a production tender. This tender involved one year of digital printing, billboards, posters, and municipal promotional materials, awarded in early 2020. Subasi says he handed over approximately ₺5 million ($127,414) multiple times in cash to Keles at the presidential residence office in Florya. He claims Keles assured him that Imamoglu was aware of these cash transactions.
After 2019, Subasi claims that Murat Ongun, another municipal official, informed him that his services would no longer be needed in the new period. Subsequent tender work shifted to companies connected to the Ilbak family. Subasi says he was forced to transfer the advertising business after significant investments, resulting in financial loss.
Subasi described winning a tender for metro station advertising spaces with the help of Keles and Serdal Taskin, the general manager of Kultur A.S. He alleges that Ertan Yildiz, an advisor responsible for metro affairs, demanded a ₺5 million cash payment plus additional business collaboration. Subasi says he paid ₺5 million in cash in a parking lot and transferred around ₺40 million for overpriced production work.
Subasi summarized his statement: “The group involving Imamoglu’s consultants, municipal officials, and employees operates as a ‘system’ whose goal is to secure election victories and political power for Imamoglu. I have no personal ties to this group and acted only in line with my business interests. I believe I was used by Imamoglu, Keles, and others. All cash payments and transactions I mentioned were with Imamoglu’s knowledge.”
In meetings with officials, including Murat Ongun and others, Subasi alleges he was told to either share ownership of his advertising business with Ongun or sell it. When he declined to pay an upfront ₺100 million “fee,” the pressure increased. Later, he was encouraged to transfer or sell metro advertising rights, with offers rejected by municipal affiliates.
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