Indictment prepared regarding 'money counting' footage at CHP: Prison sentences sought for 22 suspects, including Canan Kaftancıoğlu

CHP İstanbul Provincial HeadquartersAn indictment has been prepared against 22 suspects as a result of the investigation into the money-counting footage allegedly filmed at the headquarters.

CANAN KAFTANCIOĞLU IS AMONG THEM

The investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the money-counting footage, which was allegedly filmed at the CHP İstanbul Provincial Headquarters and shared on social media, has been completed for 22 suspects, including former Maltepe Mayor Ali Kılıç and his advisor Melih Morsümbül, former Şişli Mayor Muammer Keskin, former CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Canan Kaftancıoğlu, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Sports Club President Fatih Keleş, former CHP İstanbul Provincial Vice Chair Özgür Nas, former CHP İstanbul Provincial Press Advisor Mustafa Can Poyraz, and İmamoğlu Construction Company General Manager Tuncay Yılmaz.

BANKNOTES EMERGING FROM A BLACK BAG

The indictment states that the investigation was launched after footage was shared on the social media platform X on March 11 by various accounts and users, showing an unidentified person taking stacks of banknotes out of a black bag and arranging them on a table.

The indictment explains that 14 properties in the C Block of the Ayazağa neighborhood in Sarıyer were sold to the CHP by Ali Rıza Braka, an official from the SEAS Livestock company, on December 11, 2019, and notes that the money in the footage belongs to this sale.

The indictment records that the amount of money used during the purchase of the party building, which was counted in cash and handed over in person, was 15 million 510 thousand liras, according to a report signed by Braka, then-CHP İstanbul Provincial Vice Chair Özgür Nas, and lawyer Gökhan Taşkapan, the owner of the office where the footage was filmed.

According to the indictment, which states that the testimonies of all suspects—including Mustafa Can Poyraz, Fatih Keleş, Özgür Nas, Tuncay Yılmaz, the then-Deputy Mayor of Şişli Onur Öksel, Serkan Çebi (son of Küçükçekmece Mayor Kemal Çebi), and former Deputy Mayor of Maltepe Melih Morsünbül, who were present in the office while the money was being counted—were taken, a letter was sent to the Sarıyer Land Registry Office to determine when and by whom the properties subject to the investigation were purchased.

The indictment states that, according to the response from the Land Registry, a "Real Estate Sales Promise Agreement in Regulation Form" was drawn up at the Beyoğlu 3rd Notary Public on November 6, 2019, between Ali Rıza Braka, authorized on behalf of SEAS Besicilik Sanayi Ticaret Şirketi, and Canan Kaftancıoğlu on behalf of the CHP. It was reported that the purchase price for a total of 14 independent units in this agreement was shown as 24 million 360 thousand liras, and that the 14 units were registered in the name of the CHP on December 11, 2019, for a price of 24 million 369 thousand liras.

CHP STATED THE SALE PRICE AS 39 MILLION 870 THOUSAND LIRAS

The indictment notes that in a letter sent by the prosecutor's office to the CHP Provincial Headquarters, information was requested regarding when, by whom, and for what price the properties were purchased, where and how the money used for the purchase was obtained, and by what means it was paid to the seller. It was emphasized that the CHP Provincial Headquarters stated the sale price as 39 million 870 thousand liras in its response.

The indictment states that the provincial headquarters submitted receipts showing that 6 million liras were transferred from the provincial headquarters' account on November 6, 2019, and 18 million 360 thousand liras on November 18, 2019, during the purchase of the properties. The indictment includes the provincial headquarters' statement that 24 million 360 thousand liras were paid to the seller's bank account via wire transfer, while 15 million 510 thousand liras were covered by donations from citizens who wanted to contribute to the building to be purchased and were given to the seller in cash, and that 365 thousand liras in title deed fees and 4 thousand 480 liras in revolving fund payments were made.

The indictment reports that in its response, the CHP Provincial Headquarters stated that the campaign titled "You Put a Brick In Too," launched during the property purchase process, was organized by the party's headquarters and that the bank account numbers belonged to the headquarters. The response included the statement: "As we do not have the authority to view the account movements of our Headquarters, our Provincial Headquarters does not possess information or documents regarding how much was donated, by whom, or in what manner during the campaign in question."

REFERENCE TO THE LAW ON POLITICAL PARTIES

The indictment states that it was determined by a MASAK report that the 15 million 510 thousand liras that suspect Özgür Nas handed over to Ali Rıza Braka, who sold the property subject to the investigation to the CHP, in exchange for a receipt, were not deposited into Braka's personal account or his company's account.

The indictment points out that because the fundraising campaign titled 'You Put a Brick In Too' was initiated by the CHP, a political party, it must be evaluated whether the donations were made in accordance with the procedures specified in the Law on Political Parties.

Referring to the articles of the Law on Political Parties concerning 'donations' and 'receiving or giving illegal donations, loans, or debts,' the indictment states: 'According to the regulation in the law, the person making the donation must receive a receipt for the donation amount, and the party official accepting the donation must issue a receipt for the amount received.'

The indictment notes that individuals wishing to donate as part of the campaign could do so by sending money to party bank accounts or by giving donations to one or more people acting as party representatives or to party officials, stating: 'Therefore, there is no requirement for the party official accepting the donation to be an officially authorized person. Individuals who are assumed to be able to accept donations due to their position and status within the party should be considered as 'party officials accepting donations'.'

In the indictment approved by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and sent to the Istanbul Criminal Court of First Instance, it was requested that all 22 suspects be sentenced under the Law on Political Parties' article on 'receiving or giving illegal donations, loans, or debts' pursuant to the relevant article, with prison sentences ranging from 6 months to 1 year each.

The indictment also requests that the suspects be deprived of certain rights under Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), including the right to vote and be elected, and the right to serve as managers or auditors of foundations, associations, unions, companies, cooperatives, and political party legal entities.

The indictment also includes information that a report has been filed with the Istanbul Tax Office Presidency regarding the Republican People's Party (CHP), which purchased the properties used as the CHP İstanbul Provincial Headquarters building, and Ali Rıza Braka, an official from the seller SEAS Besicilik company, for the necessary examination and audit to be conducted under Tax Legislation.