Detentions in 'fake invoice' scandal at Yunus Emre Foundation

Müyesser YILDIZ / 12punto.com.tr

The "fake invoice" investigation at the Yunus Emre Foundation, whose Board of Trustees is chaired by Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, is growing. Following the resignation of two prominent figures who served as vice presidents at the foundation—Kutalmış Yalçın, the husband of Minister of Family and Social Services Mahinur Göktaş and son of MHP Deputy Chairman Semih Yalçın—as part of the investigation that began in recent weeks, several department heads and employees were detained today.

As part of the investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the "fake invoice" scandal, which emerged following an audit of expenditures between 2020 and 2022 conducted by inspectors from the Ministry of Treasury and Finance and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, travel bans were imposed on numerous foundation employees last week.

It has been learned that this morning, some of the employees named in the investigation, primarily Head of Financial Affairs S.Y. and Head of Support Services M.Ç., were detained and are currently being interrogated.

Within the scope of the operation, it was reported that authorities also visited the home of Prof. Dr. Şeref Ateş, the former president of the Yunus Emre Institute—who some circles claim has fled abroad, while his relatives state he is receiving medical treatment in Germany—but were unable to conduct a search or make an arrest as no one was at the residence.

News Source: Müyesser Yıldız