105 million lira fraud case: Taxi Drivers Chamber President Eyüp Aksu among the suspects

Istanbul Taxi Drivers Chamber President Eyüp Aksu is among 11 people facing a lawsuit over allegations of 105 million liras in corruption at TŞOF. A complaint petition filed from within TŞOF alleged that the 'fraud was carried out in an organized manner.' An expert panel reported that the suspects had a share in the corruption by ignoring transactions that were contrary to the law.

According to Article 131 of the Highway Traffic Law, TŞOF, which holds the monopoly on the production, distribution, sale, and printing of vehicle license plates nationwide, is required to deposit 60 percent of the revenue generated from this into the Ministry of Interior's Central Accounting Office. However, it was determined that TŞOF also listed items as expenses that should not have been listed as such under the law in order to pay less money to the ministry. Due to this irregularity, fund lawsuits were filed against TŞOF.

LAWYER EMBEZZLED A FORTUNE

It was stated that lawyer Burcu Gökdağ, who followed the lawsuits on behalf of TŞOF, embezzled 19 million 318 thousand 37 lira and 80 kuruş by defrauding the institution through enforcement files during this process. For this reason, inspectors converted the amount into US dollars based on the Central Bank's foreign exchange selling rate on the day the payments were made to measure the actual cost of the institution's loss. Accordingly, the loss incurred by the institution was calculated as 3 million 307 thousand 469 dollars (105 million 706 thousand 709 liras).

Gökdağ was arrested in 2022 on charges of 'qualified fraud' and 'forgery of official documents.' Gökdağ's lawyer argued that the institution was aware of all transactions, stating, "The allegations are aimed at laundering an unethical structure through my client."

THERE ARE 11 SUSPECTS

While the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Ankara continues its investigation into the suspects regarding the corruption at TŞOF, TŞOF Deputy Chairman Mehmet Yiğiner submitted a complaint petition to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and alleged that the corruption was 'organized.'

In his petition, Yiğiner stated, "We believe that the aforementioned irregularities, embezzlement, and fraud acts were carried out in an organized manner within TŞOF. This matter will also be clearly revealed in the in-depth investigation to be conducted by your Chief Public Prosecutor's Office."

The names of the suspects whom the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office wants to be tried on charges of 'misconduct in office' include Istanbul Taxi Drivers Chamber President Eyüp Aksu, TŞOF President Fevzi Apaydın, and TŞOF Secretary General and Deputy Secretaries General Enver Yaniçeri, Mehmet Nesip Kemaloğlu, and Zerrin Boztaş. The other names are as follows:

Aziz Fatih Yılmaz, Filiz Ercan, Heşar Haşimoğlu, Mehmet Tiryakioğlu, Oktay Nuhoğlu, Ümit Kılıçaslan. The suspects denied the accusations against them.

AKSU DENIED THE ACCUSATIONS

Istanbul Taxi Drivers Chamber President Eyüp Aksu denied the accusations in his defense, saying, "I am always fighting against injustices."

LEGAL OBLIGATION IGNORED FOR 8 YEARS

Although the suspects did not accept the accusations, the expert report stated that the suspects also had a share in the corruption that took place.

The expert panel's report is as follows:

"While it was possible to determine with a very simple examination by the Audit Board that the cash business advances in question were not made through a bank, and while it was a legal obligation for payments to be made through financial channels, it is clear that these transactions have been carried out for approximately eight years; ignoring these transactions was the main factor in the occurrence of the institution's loss, and it has been determined that between 2014 and 2022, Audit Board members Oktay Nuhoğlu, Aziz Fatih Yılmaz, Mehmet Tiryakioğlu, Heşar Haşimoğlu, and Eyüp Aksu did not fulfill their audit duties according to the relevant laws and regulations, in other words, they did not perform their duties."

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which examined the inspection and expert reports, requested that the 'suspects be tried and punished in court.'

News Source: 12punto