Ahbap Derneği probe arrests Oğuzhan Uğur and nine others

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a criminal investigation into the Ahbap Derneği after allegations that donations collected for disaster relief were diverted to personal accounts. In July, a coordinated operation detained ten suspects, including social‑media broadcaster Oğhan Uğur, former TÜRMOB president Emre Kartaloğlu and other alleged financiers. After police processing, the suspects were transferred to the Istanbul Adliye for a hearing. Prosecutors asked the court to order detention on the grounds of “abuse of trust due to service” and “money‑laundering” under Articles 220 and 282 of the Turkish Penal Code. The court ordered nine of the detainees to be held in custody and placed one under judicial control.

Oğhan Uğur’s police statement emphasized his lack of involvement with the charity’s finances, saying, “Hesaplarımıza bir kuruş dahi para yatmadı; Ahbap Derneği’nin mali yapısı ve bağışların nerede kullanıldığı hakkında hiçbir bilgim yok.” He added that he only shared verified IBAN numbers for AFAD and Kızılay during the 2023 earthquake relief broadcasts. Founder Haluk Levent, who invited Uğur to the field in 2023, was also detained and later transferred to a correctional facility.

The investigation uncovered large, unexplained money movements, betting‑account transfers, and a series of rapid property title changes. Assets belonging to the charity and several suspects were seized. The second‑wave operation increased the total number of detainees to eighteen.