Turkey revokes over 6,000 fraudulent citizenships after nationwide crackdown

Turkish authorities announced that more than 6,000 citizenships obtained through falsified property appraisal reports have been cancelled. The operation, coordinated by the Ministry of Interior, the Justice Ministry, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and police units, was carried out in 16 provinces and led to the arrest of 72 suspects.

Investigations uncovered a scheme in which low‑value real‑estate was falsely valued as high‑value, allowing foreign nationals to acquire Turkish citizenship. The probe identified 687 individuals who had benefited from the scheme, and assets seized included 1,145 properties, a hotel in Bodrum, 15 motor vehicles, a yacht and ten bank accounts. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said the cancellations and arrests demonstrate the government’s commitment to combat organized crime and protect the integrity of the citizenship system.