A Turkish court has jailed seven people pending trial in the fourth phase of an investigation into alleged financial misconduct at AHBAP, the prominent disaster-relief charity founded by rock musician Haluk Levent, bringing the number arrested in the case to 35, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The seven were among 13 suspects detained on July 27 over allegations involving construction contracts, property transfers, checks issued by the charity and financial dealings linked to Levent. The other six were released under judicial supervision.
The court ordered the arrest of businessman Hüseyin Başaran and AHBAP purchasing manager Deniz Şimşek along with five others.
The investigation concerns allegations that donations collected after devastating earthquakes struck southeastern Turkey in February 2023 were diverted or misused.
The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the fourth phase focused on four areas: housing and prefabricated-container purchases, properties transferred to Levent’s assistant, Yeliz Kaya, checks issued by AHBAP and financial and commercial relationships linked to Levent.
The arrests came two days after an İstanbul court appointed three trustees to manage AHBAP, froze its accounts and assets and initiated proceedings to dissolve the charity.
The state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) was separately appointed as trustee to AHBAP’s commercial enterprise and affiliated companies. The association itself is being managed by three trustees appointed directly by the court.
The investigation, referred to by prosecutors as the “Ahbaplar criminal organization” probe, began over allegations that donations collected in AHBAP’s name were transferred to suspects’ personal accounts, sent to third parties or used for gambling.
Prosecutors are investigating suspected money laundering, aggravated fraud, membership in a criminal organization and violations of Turkey’s tax and associations laws.
Levent and 13 other suspects were jailed on July 16. He has denied using AHBAP funds or assets for personal benefit and said his private financial dealings were unrelated to the charity.
“I did not touch a single penny belonging to the association,” Levent told prosecutors.
YouTube personality Oğuzhan Uğur, whose BABALA TV platform helped coordinate and publicize relief efforts after the earthquakes, was later jailed with eight other suspects on charges of breach of trust in connection with professional services and laundering assets derived from a crime.
Uğur has denied wrongdoing and said he and his team would pursue legal action if their earthquake relief work had been exploited.
As the investigation expanded, several journalists, actors and musicians testified about social media posts and broadcasts in which they promoted or expressed support for AHBAP after the earthquakes. Prosecutors have summoned additional public figures for questioning.
Founded by Levent in 2017, AHBAP became one of Turkey’s most prominent civil society organizations through its volunteer network and large-scale response to the 2023 earthquakes, which killed more than 53,500 people in Turkey and left millions homeless.
Its fundraising and relief operations attracted widespread public support as an alternative to government-led aid efforts.
