Turkey raids municipal officials in Bolu and Beykoz over embezzlement and bribery

Turkish law‑enforcement carried out coordinated raids on municipal officials in two cities. In Bolu, the public prosecutor’s office ordered a sixth‑day operation on 1 July. Jandarma units detained the head of Bolu Municipality’s companies, Özgür Nihat Yıldız, and eleven other officials on suspicion of embezzlement and money‑laundering. After investigations, nine suspects were sent to court, eight released under judicial control and Yıldız remained jailed.

In Istanbul’s Beykoz district, prosecutors pursued a separate corruption case involving “urban‑planning bribery,” “obstruction of justice,” and “bribery.” The investigation led to the arrest of former construction‑control chief Ali Cihan Sakman and the issuance of an arrest warrant for former mayoral adviser Levent Özdinç. Additionally, existing detainee Alaattin Köseler, already held on procurement‑fraud charges, had his custody expanded to include the new bribery and obstruction allegations.

Both operations underscore a broader crackdown on alleged misuse of public funds at the local government level in Turkey.