Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan sentenced to prison over foundation activities

Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan has been sentenced to 7 years and 3 months in prison following a legal case involving the Bolu Love and Service Foundation (BOL-SEV). The prosecution alleged that the foundation used coercive methods to secure advertising revenue, which was intended to fund scholarships for students and the construction of a nursing home.

Speaking from Sincan Prison, Özcan denied all allegations of financial misconduct, stating that the foundation provided scholarships to 528 students over the past 1.5 years. He explained that funding was generated through advertisements on 40 large LED screens and from local supermarket chains, with individual ad payments ranging between 2,000 and 10,000 TL.

Özcan highlighted that a Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) report found no suspicious transactions involving him or his associates. He criticized the judicial process, noting that while the prosecution initially sought a 300-year prison sentence, he maintains that no personal profit was ever made from the foundation's activities.