Striking detail in the Haluk Levent file: Şile Festival payments in the investigation file
According to the file, million-lira invoices were issued to the Şile Municipality, while only 5-10 percent of these amounts were paid to the artists. The artists stated that they were unaware of the companies involved.
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The investigation file concerning Haluk Levent and his brother Berkant Acil, who were arrested as part of an investigation into allegations that "donations collected on behalf of the Ahbap Association were used irregularly," also includes concert payments from the 35th International Şile Cloth Festival organized by the Şile Municipality.
According to information reflected in the investigation file conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was alleged that the festival organization was handled through the Sur Müzik Yapım company via direct procurement and that the tender was irregular. The financial expert report stated that expenses for items such as stage, lighting, and sound systems were inflated through fake invoices.
According to the allegations in the file, Berkant Acil transferred only a small portion of the money received from the municipality under the name of "organization expenses" to the artists and their teams. It was claimed that friendship ties were used to lower the artists' concert fees, while expenses were shown to the municipality at rates above market conditions.
Journalist Murat Ağırel, making statements on Sözcü TV, noted that while an invoice of 6 million 200 thousand TL was issued to the municipality for the Sıla concert, 625 thousand TL was paid to the artist. It was stated that 2 million 250 thousand TL was invoiced to the municipality for the Can Bonomo concert, while 250 thousand TL was paid to the artist. The file reflects that 312 thousand 500 TL was paid for Melek Mosso against a 3 million 500 thousand TL invoice, 50 thousand TL for Sena Şener against a 1 million TL invoice, and 37 thousand 500 TL for Erdal Erzincan against a 1 million 750 thousand TL invoice.
It was stated that the total calculable amount in the table was 22 million 790 thousand TL, while the actual income declared by the artists remained at approximately 1 million 931 thousand 667 TL. Accordingly, it was alleged that the difference between the two is approximately 20 million 858 thousand 333 TL.
ARTISTS' STATEMENTS IN THE FILE
The artists whose statements were taken as part of the investigation stated that they mostly did not know Sur Müzik Organizasyon, which made the payments, or that the work was brought to them through other organization companies.
Sıla stated that she performed at the festival on August 4, 2024, and earned 625 thousand TL from this event, noting that the payment was transferred by Sur Müzik Organizasyon. Sıla said she knew the job was brought by a firm called Koşan Adam and that the concert fee covered the fees of the entire team, including management.
While Sena Şener stated that the job was brought to her by Zirve Organizasyon, Can Bonomo stated that the payment came from Sur Müzik Organizasyon but that the job was brought by Koşan Adam. Melek Mosso, Gazapizm, Atiye, members of Babazula, and Zeynep Bakşi Karatağ similarly explained that they did not know Sur Müzik or that they knew the organization through Koşan Adam.
These statements in the file were evaluated as elements strengthening the claim that the artists were unaware of the difference between the invoices issued to the municipality and the payments made to them. The legal process regarding the allegations directed at the suspects as part of the investigation is ongoing.