New lawsuit against Buket Özgünlü, president of the Association for Paws Holding onto Life

An indictment has been prepared against 14 defendants, including Buket Özgünlü, president of the Association for Paws Holding onto Life, and her sister Demet Kılıç, as part of an investigation launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, after it was determined that they used money donated for the health, food, and shelter needs of stray animals for their personal expenses.

The indictment states that the defendants laundered the obtained income by issuing fake invoices through pet food companies. It was also noted that the defendants caused financial loss to the public in this manner.

DONATION MONEY SENT TO PERSONAL ACCOUNTS

Upon the request of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the account transactions of the Association for Paws Holding onto Life were examined by an expert committee consisting of Court of Accounts auditors and association auditors. The resulting report stated that there were suspicions regarding the association's account movements and that some cash and transfer transactions were not used within the scope of the association's activities. The report revealed that after various transactions between association members, the money was transferred to the accounts of the association president, Özgünlü, and her family. It was also stated that the defendants acquired illicit assets with the money received under the guise of donations and that money withdrawn from the association's account was transferred to the defendants' bank accounts.

The indictment explains that vice president Demet Kılıç withdrew 6 million 621 thousand lira from the association's account and transferred it to the accounts of Buket Özgünlü and defendant Evren Kılıç, and that 865 thousand lira was sent to the account of Tuna Boyacı, the fugitive husband of the defendant Özgünlü, who has an outstanding arrest warrant, by issuing 62 fake pet food invoices.

The indictment determined that another defendant, Ertan Işık, issued 170 fake invoices totaling 5 million 558 thousand lira on behalf of the association between 2021 and 2024, purportedly for cat and dog food. The indictment states that although no pet food was bought or sold, the amount was transferred from the association's account to the account of defendant Ertan Işık, and that the 5 million 558 thousand lira was sent to the defendants' accounts. It was reported that the association was defrauded of a total of 18 million 627 thousand 848 lira.

Accordingly, the indictment prepared against the defendants—Association for Paws Holding onto Life President Buket Özgünlü, her sister Demet Kılıç, Aleyna Nur Sarıoğlu, Alev Erçetin, Cemal Özgünlü, Evren Kılıç, Tuğçe Soysal, Aynur Temel, Birkan Soysal, Ertan Işık, Fatma Özgünlü, Rüya Bilgi, Tuğba Törüsel, and Yosma Bilgi—seeking up to 7 years in prison each for 'breach of trust due to service,' has been accepted by the Ankara 69th Criminal Court of First Instance, and the trial has begun.

News Source: İHA