Sezgin Baran Korkmaz breaks his silence: Striking remarks about Mehmet Akif Ersoy! 'People who are cocaine addicts...'

Striking statements have come from Sezgin Baran Korkmaz, who is wanted for money laundering, regarding former Habertürk TV executive Veyis Ateş, who was arrested as part of a drug investigation. Immediately following Ateş's arrest, Korkmaz connected to a live broadcast on Sözcü TV to share his allegations with the public.

CONNECTED TO THE LIVE BROADCAST FROM THE US

Sezgin Baran Korkmaz, who is in the US, claimed during the live broadcast on Sözcü TV that Veyis Ateş had demanded 10 million Euros from him. Recalling that he had voiced this allegation before, Korkmaz explained the process in detail.

“IT IS HEADING TOWARD NAMES CALLED UNTOUCHABLE”

Speaking on the broadcast, Korkmaz made the following remarks regarding the ongoing investigations:

“It is not surprising that this wave is heading toward names that are called untouchable and seen as unreachable; this is what should have happened.”

10 MILLION EURO ALLEGATION

Arguing that Veyis Ateş wanted a large sum of money from him, Korkmaz shared the following words regarding the process:

“If Veyis Ateş finds the courage to ask for this money from someone he does not know at all, the background influences are very important. There is not just one Veyis Ateş here. It was said, 'If you don't give this money, this will happen.' Phrases like 'Your wife's passport will be canceled' were used. Such a process was experienced.”

“I COULD NOT SEE MY FAMILY”

Stating that he had been separated from his family for a long time due to what happened, Sezgin Baran Korkmaz expressed the impact of this process on him with these words:

“I could not see my wife, my family, or my 10-year-old son. I could not see my 4-year-old child. I experienced these things because I did not do what a media figure told me to do.”

MEDIA AND DRUG ALLEGATIONS

In his statements, Korkmaz also included allegations regarding the media world. Claiming that drug use is widespread in some circles in Turkey, Korkmaz used the following expressions:

“When you enter circles that present themselves as artists or socialites in Turkey today, you can see the dimensions that immorality and drug use have reached there.”

Touching upon the allegations regarding former Habertürk TV Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Akif Ersoy, another name arrested in the drug investigation, Korkmaz said, "When something happens in the media sector, everyone suddenly picks up a shovel and runs to put out the fire. I do not know Mehmet Akif personally. I participated in his program a few times at Habertürk. If he hadn't experienced these things, everyone would be lining up at his door today. But when he experiences these things, everyone in his own neighborhood picks up a shovel and runs away. What I know is that I hear people who are cocaine addicts shouting at Mehmet Akif on television today, calling him a 'drug addict.' I laugh at this. This matter should not remain in one neighborhood; it should spread to the entire neighborhood so that it is understood that this is truly a fight against drugs."

Sezgin Baran Korkmaz, who is alleged to have ties to a company convicted of tax fraud in the US state of Utah, left the country on December 5, 2020, while an investigation was ongoing in Turkey for 'money laundering.' On May 2, 2021, the investigations against Korkmaz were completed, and a prison sentence of up to 7 years and 6 months was requested on the grounds that he laundered 132 million dollars through 6 of his companies.

Korkmaz, who was caught in Austria, was extradited to the US and arrested in a case opened with allegations that he was "involved in a 1 billion dollar biodiesel fraud, laundered money unfairly received as incentives from the tax office, and committed wire fraud." Korkmaz was released on August 1, 2023.