19 million dollar fake invoice scandal at Yunus Emre Foundation

Journalist Murat Ağırel brought to light in his column today 41 invoices issued by the Yunus Emre Foundation for alleged renovation and furnishing works carried out in the Afrin, Al-Bab, and Azaz regions of Syria.

While the invoices included items such as 376 tons of construction steel, 1003 cubic meters of ready-mixed concrete, and heavy machinery rentals, it was revealed that none of the work was performed and none of the materials were actually received.

It is stated that the 19 million dollar embezzlement was carried out through fake invoices and shell companies. These allegations have led to a serious scandal involving the Yunus Emre Foundation and the aforementioned projects.

Journalist Murat Ağırel's article on the subject is as follows:

We have a foundation affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, named after Yunus Emre, who represents humanitarian values, love for humanity, and social peace. The Yunus Emre Foundation and its affiliated institution, the Yunus Emre Institute.

It is a foundation whose budget is created by the sweat of the people. The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation following a criminal complaint alleging that the foundation was defrauded through fake invoices obtained from shell companies.

E.A., the son of the foundation's former president and fugitive suspect Şeref Ateş, and 11 others were apprehended and taken into custody, and 8 of the 11 suspects taken into custody were arrested.

I started researching to get detailed information about the subject. I spoke with the courthouse, the Social Security Institution (SGK), the Ministry of Finance, and the foundation's employees. I also reached the criminal complaint.

At first, the article by Fatih Ergin from Yeniçağ newspaper appeared before me. Ergin's article from January 2023 is very comprehensive. There are many company names and very serious allegations exist. Regarding what happened within the foundation, the ministry and the foundation management appointed inspectors and had a report prepared, and the inspector detected a major corruption.

It was determined that the invoices issued to the foundation by some companies were fake, and the total of the fake invoices issued was 19 million dollars.

Look, the companies issuing invoices to the foundation were established by the same people and their relatives, and these companies were established at the same addresses.

The foundation president divided the purchases into parts to avoid exceeding the direct procurement amount allocated to the foundation and to avoid falling under tender conditions.

Look, according to information I received from Tax Inspection Board sources, one of the companies issuing invoices to the foundation was established on June 23, 2021. It issued an invoice to the foundation just two weeks after its establishment. Although the company was newly established, it sold items ranging from tea glasses to photocopy paper, from seating groups to bows and archery equipment.

AN ENVELOPE FOR 15 TL

In 2023, a design drawing for coffee and wooden boxes was requested from an agency. Bids were taken as a formality. The bid of one advertising agency among the received bids was accepted, and 10 minutes after it was accepted, the advertising firm issued an invoice to the foundation.

In 2021, unprinted A4 envelopes were purchased from a firm, and 15 TL was paid for each.

In 2024, it was said that a "Geographical Indication Summit" would be held in Brussels, and the institute presidency was given a spending authority of 5 million. Bids were taken from companies operating at the same address as the companies founded by Şeref Ateş's son, and ultimately an agreement was reached with one of these companies. An invoice of 6 million was issued to the institution and paid. However, no such event was held in Brussels.

Let me tell you one more.

An agreement was reached with a company named "Maksal" for the renovation and furnishing works of the buildings in Afrin and Al-Bab in Syria. To avoid holding a tender and to not exceed the direct spending amount, the purchases were divided into parts. It was determined that the company issued 41 invoices under the name of 376 tons of construction steel, 1003 cubic meters of ready-mixed concrete, and heavy machinery rental for the renovation of the Yunus Emre Institute's buildings in Al-Bab, Afrin, and Azaz. Lo and behold, archery equipment was also purchased from the same company.

In the findings, it was determined that none of the transactions were real. It was seen that there was neither a waybill, nor a company official who went to Syria, nor a product that was shipped. It was determined that the companies that gave bids for cost calculation were again the companies that issued fake invoices to the institution, and most of them were at the same addresses.

There is a company called YCL owned by Y.İ. And there is a company called Bestekar belonging to the same people. Look, this sole proprietorship is a car wash company according to SGK records! 1 million 300 thousand dollars of fake invoices were issued in 2 months.

The company founded by Şeref Ateş's son E.A. changed its name after a while, and 3 days later it issued an invoice of 52 million TL to the foundation under the name of flight, accommodation, meeting-representation expenses, etc.

Look, according to SGK records, this company doesn't even have an employee. Invoices were issued by adding a one hundred percent markup to the tickets issued by Turkish Airlines (THY).

It was determined that M.Ç., who worked at the foundation with a salary of 60 thousand TL, had a villa worth 70 million in Bodrum Yalıkavak, and plots and real estate in Ankara.

It was reported that foundation manager Şeref Ateş had 10 apartments in Germany.

Look friends, we are talking about a total of 19 million dollars in fake invoices.

In summary, if we look at the allegations, millions of dollars have been "siphoned off" and embezzled through a foundation. The fact that such allegations of money laundering, fake invoices, etc., have increased recently is also one of the issues that needs to be investigated.

What happened specifically at the Yunus Emre Foundation may only be the tip of the iceberg. There are definitely places that do similar practices to a greater or lesser extent. The state must increase its supervision and protect the taxes and money given by the citizens.