Operation targeting the Süleymancılar: Testimony of Alihan Kuriş's brother Hilmi Tuna Kuriş revealed

The investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into the leader of the Süleymancılar, Alihan Kuriş, continues.

During searches targeting Alihan Kuriş's brother, Hilmi Tuna Kuriş, for whom an arrest warrant had been issued as part of the investigation, 200 kilograms of gold bars of unknown origin were seized at a single address. Hilmi Tuna Kuriş, who was caught in Muğla while preparing to flee abroad, was arrested and sent to prison.

Hilmi Tuna Kuriş's testimony at the Anti-Financial Crimes Branch has been obtained.

According to a report by the Sabah newspaper, known for its proximity to the government, Kuriş stated that he is an interior designer and earns approximately 150 thousand lira per month, and he did not accept the accusations against him. However, the MASAK report prepared as part of the investigation and police analyses determined that the money movements in the companies where Kuriş previously held partnerships and management positions were inconsistent with his declared income.

Kuriş was charged with "establishing and managing a criminal organization," "laundering assets derived from crime," "fraud to the detriment of public institutions and organizations," and "opposition to the Tax Procedure Law."

HE POINTED TO HIS FAMILY IN COMPANY MANAGEMENT

In his response to questions about the companies, Kuriş argued that he did not carry out the majority of the operations himself. Stating that company affairs were handled by his uncle and his father until he passed away, Kuriş said that sales increased during the pandemic period.

In his testimony, Kuriş said, "After graduating from university, I focused on my own profession until a trustee was appointed for oversight in 2021. Company affairs were generally handled by my uncle and my father until his death. Sales increased significantly during the pandemic period."

Financial examinations in the investigation file drew attention to high-value financial movements, particularly regarding Arden Gıda İnşaat Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Şirketi.

Arden Gıda'S TRANSACTION VOLUME REACHED BILLIONS OF LIRA

According to the MASAK investigation, the banking transaction volume of the company, which passed from Alihan Kuriş to Hilmi Tuna Kuriş and was subsequently transferred to Yusuf Bulut on December 28, 2022, exceeded 6.5 billion lira as of 2023.

Kuriş claimed that he had no remaining ties to the firm after transferring his company shares and that he had no knowledge of the transactions within the company.

29 MILLION LIRA IN FOREIGN CURRENCY FOUND IN THE HOUSE IN KÜÇÜK ÇAMLICA

During a search of Kuriş's home in Küçük Çamlıca, Üsküdar, as part of the investigation, foreign currency worth approximately 29 million lira was seized.

Kuriş argued that the source of the money found in the house was savings made by himself and his family over many years. Stating that a portion of the foreign currency was obtained from inheritance and the remainder from personal commercial activities, he defended himself by saying, "These are monies that I and my family have saved for years, some from inheritance and some earned from personal commercial activities."

A large amount of valuable assets was also detected during a search conducted at another workplace in Ümraniye as part of the file.

206 GOLD BARS FOUND AT THE WORKPLACE

206 gold bars and foreign currency worth approximately 23 million lira were seized at a workplace titled Set Alt Yapı İnş. A.Ş., registered in the name of İrfan Yılmaz, the father of Erhan Yılmaz, who is among the fugitive suspects in the file.

Kuriş claimed that he had no knowledge of the money and gold at the workplace connected to his childhood friend Erhan Yılmaz, stating, "I have no connection or knowledge whatsoever."

HE WAS CAUGHT WITH TWO PHONES, DID NOT DISCLOSE PASSWORDS

It was stated that Hilmi Tuna Kuriş had two mobile phones with him when he was detained in Muğla.

Kuriş said he used one of the phones for his workplace abroad but stated that he did not remember the device's password. Arguing that the other mobile phone did not belong to him, Kuriş claimed that he had no information about who the device belonged to.

GRAVE MAINTENANCE EXPLANATION FOR MONEY TRAFFIC WITH CANDEMİR

In the financial leg of the investigation, money movements between Kuriş and Fahri Candemir, Alihan Kuriş's assistant and one of the suspects in the file, were also examined.

It was determined that a total of 767 thousand 678 lira was transferred between the two individuals.

Kuriş said that the money movements in question did not take place within the scope of a commercial relationship. Stating that the transfers were made for the purpose of being used in maintenance work on the grave of his grandfather, Süleyman Hilmi Tunahan, Kuriş made the following explanation in his testimony:

"These are monies sent as per diem to Candemir, who oversees the maintenance, cleaning, and landscaping work of my grandfather Süleyman Hilmi Tunahan's grave, for the expenses of daily laborers hired from outside and for the procurement of materials for this work."

350 THOUSAND DOLLAR TRANSFER EXAMINED

Cryptocurrency movements also entered the file during financial examinations. The testimony record included information that 350 thousand dollars in USDT was sent from a crypto wallet belonging to Erhan Yılmaz to accounts associated with Kuriş.

The findings in the testimony record also included that Kuriş's crypto asset movements created suspicion of tax evasion.

On the other hand, Kuriş's trips to Düsseldorf and Frankfurt with Erhan Yılmaz were also determined through flight records.

In his defense regarding the reason for his trips abroad, Kuriş described the flights in question as "normal trips taken with a childhood friend."

ALLOCATED VEHICLE USED ON THE JOURNEY TO MUĞLA

One of the striking points of the investigation was the vehicle in which Kuriş was caught.

On August 21, Hilmi Tuna Kuriş was caught in Muğla in a vehicle allocated to former minister İdris Naim Şahin, along with Erhan Yılmaz and the vehicle driver Mehmet Özmen.

It was determined in the License Plate Recognition System (PTS) records that the vehicle had traveled between Istanbul and Muğla twice in a short period. The investigation determined that the siren and the status of the allocated vehicle were utilized to avoid police and gendarmerie checks.

Kuriş, however, argued that he did not go to Muğla to flee abroad. Stating that he was unaware of the siren in the vehicle and that he was sleeping in the back seat during the journey, Kuriş said he planned to return to Istanbul after the operation to meet with his lawyers.

Kuriş's testimony is as follows:

"I went to Muğla only to rest. I did not know that a siren was installed in the vehicle; I was sleeping in the back seat. After hearing that an operation was being conducted, I would have returned to Istanbul and met with my lawyers if I hadn't been caught. When the police stopped us, I realized I had been caught. We had no plan to flee abroad."

News Source: 12punto