The secret in Ferdi Tayfur's will: Bank accounts and safe deposit boxes... What happened to his real fortune?

Following the passing of Ferdi Tayfur, a master of arabesque music, on January 2, both the musical and financial legacy of the late artist have become a subject of curiosity.

THE ISLAND IN MARMARIS, BANK ACCOUNTS... WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS REAL FORTUNE?

It was rumored that Ferdi Tayfur owned villas in İçmeler, 50 apartments in Adana, apartments in various districts of Istanbul, and a peninsula in Marmaris.

The master artist's will, which was notarized on October 17, 2024, was recently opened at the Marmaris Courthouse.

According to Tayfur's will, he donated a portion of his real estate in Yalova and Istanbul to the Darüşşafaka Society, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), and the Foundation for Children with Leukemia (LÖSEV).

Two apartments in Beldibi, Marmaris, and one apartment in the Fatih district of Istanbul were left to the Darüşşafaka Society; eight villas in the Esenköy region of Çınarcık, Yalova, were left to LÖSEV; and one apartment in the Mudurnu district of Bolu was left to the TSK.

FIVE HEIRS WERE NOT MENTIONED

According to the report in Habertürk, it was understood that five of Ferdi Tayfur's six legal heirs were not mentioned in the will regarding the remainder of his estate, and that his only mentioned legal heir, his youngest son Ferdi Taha Tayfur, received a smaller share than Emirhan, the son of the late artist's niece Nilüfer Gözalıcı.

WHAT HAPPENED TO HIS REAL FORTUNE?

The fact that Ferdi Tayfur's most valuable known real estate and copyrights were not included in the will has become a matter of curiosity.

According to the report in Mynet, the fate of his bank accounts, the income collected from real estate and royalties that he spent during his lifetime, and his safe deposit boxes—particularly his seaside house and land in Marmaris, known as the 'Island' where he lived until his death—remains unknown.

WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE?

It is alleged that after Ferdi Tayfur suffered a stroke due to high blood sugar in 2011, his niece Nilüfer Gözalıcı attempted to distance Ferdi Tayfur from his daughter Tuğçe Tayfur Aydın, born to Necla Nazır.

So much so that it is among the rumors that he was made to bequeath all the copyrights of his musical works to her via a will dated 06.04.2018. It was claimed that even before this will was opened, the company managing the copyrights had been transferred to the same person.

ALLEGATIONS OF A CARE CONTRACT

According to another allegation, through a "life-long care contract" made in May of last year, Nilüfer Gözalıcı ensured that the island, consisting of a house and land on a seaside bay, was left to her; that a very valuable property in Marmaris and a separate property in Yalova were bequeathed to her son Emirhan; and that another villa in Yalova was bequeathed to her daughter Buse.

Gözalıcı also had another villa in Yalova bequeathed to Ferdi Taha Tayfur, one of Ferdi Tayfur's sons.

With another villa in Yalova being left to Şirin Gözalıcı, this led to interpretations that all of Ferdi Tayfur's valuable real estate was being transferred to Nilüfer Gözalıcı and her relatives, who have no inheritance ties to him.

The fact that Ferdi Tayfur left his fortune to his niece without taking any action that would deprive his heirs of their inheritance has raised questions among his relatives as to whether the decision was made of his own free will.

Another allegation raised is that Nilüfer Gözalıcı, who took over the care of Ferdi Tayfur—who is known to have clung to life with a kidney donated by his son Timur Turanbayburt, born to Habibe Ümyani Demir—tried to keep his children away from their father during this process.

Another claim is that despite such financial means, no attempt was made to make his treatment process comfortable.

TWO CHILDREN REQUESTED AN INHERITANCE DETERMINATION

On the other hand, it was alleged that after the hearing where the will was opened, it was accepted that Ferdi Tayfur's former spouse Zeliha Tayfur, Habibe Timur Turanbayburt, Tuğçe Tayfur Aydın, and Ferdi Taha Tayfur were being excluded from the inheritance, that efforts were being made to seize their reserved shares, and that they planned these together with Nilüfer Gözalıcı.

Meanwhile, it was learned that legal heirs Timur Turanbayburt and Tuğçe Tayfur Aydın have requested a determination of the inheritance.